Bayville's Flashflood
by lotusflowerlove6
Summary: I am Thalia Wayne, and I am Bayville's Flashflood. Well, at least now I am. Up until a few months ago, I was just Thalia Wayne, teenaged cousin of Bruce Wayne by day, and butt kicking sidekick whenever Bruce told me to suit up. Then my Mutation manifested, and I got shipped off to Bayville. Being a Mutant is actually pretty fun, but I miss running patrol with Robin and Speedy. R
1. Chapter 1

_ A/N This is my first published fanfiction/cross over ever. I hope you guys like it. Reviews would be great, whether good or bad. I'm open to any questions or suggestions...so...enjoy :)_

_Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men, the Justice League, or any of the characters...so please don't sue me._

_Claimer: I made up Thalia Wayne/Flashflood/Blackstar over lunch so I'm takin' credit for her_

_October_– _Batcave, Gotham City, Connecticut_

"Come at me bro!" I challenged my younger sibling apprentice. Dick Greyson, former member of the Flying Greysons, currently wearing a mask, red tunic, black boots and pants, yellow utility belt, and black cape with yellow on its underside. Under the codename Robin, Dick was my sparring partner.

Two batarangs whizzed past my head, and I dodged them both. I threw my own stariken – a pun on my codename and the word shuriken – at the runt. I missed him, and immediately had to block his close combat attacks. That was the day everything changed for me. I went from being Bruce Wayne's teenaged cousin to a freak. After training with Batman and Robin, Alfred brought in tea. That's when my head felt like it was about to explode. I fell to my knees, mask still on, and grasped my head as I screamed.

"Thalia!" Dick exclaimed and rushed to my side. I screamed again and pushed him away. The pain hurt so bad that tears had formed in my eyes. I've been shot without crying, but this hurt like frickin' hell. It would get better eventually…

"Robin," Bruce said with a touch of surprise in his voice, "I think you should see this."

"Wha…" Dick said and turned his attention away from me, "Bruce…is that…?" I don't know what they saw, but it must've been quite a sight. I felt Batman's glove push my hair out of my face as I writhed on the ground.

"I…I think it's her," Bruce said, the shock apparent in his voice. Despite the pain I was able to hear him, even though listening just made my head hurt worse.

"How do we stop it?" Robin asked, his voice was edging on to panic. That was never a good sign. Dick and Bruce being shocked and panicked. The Dynamic Duo were a perfectly professional pair, they could keep their cool under any circumstances. If they were worrying, then that just means that something was about to go terribly, terribly wrong.

_March – Wayne Manor, Gotham City, Connecticut_

Yeah, something went wrong all right. That day, months ago, was the day that I learned that I'm a Mutant. I've known since I was a kid that there was a chance of me inheriting the gene that created the Mutant, but my parents believed that I wouldn't have it. I guess when my powers didn't manifest when I turned fifteen, they must've thought I'd be dormant. After that day, Batman enlisted the help of the entire League to help me out. I trained and got control of my powers, and I made use of them on a daily basis when fighting crime with Rob and Bats.

You can imagine how surprised I was that Professor Charles Xavier rolled into the manor followed by a couple of people I'm unfamiliar with. One was a red haired girl wearing a dark blue full-body leotard with lime green going down the middle, another was a beautiful dark skinned woman with white hair wearing a dark blue outfit with a cape. I hated capes, they were always in the way. Screw protection and all that, they always got me tangled. "Professor," I squeaked from the sofa. It was Saturday morning, and Dick and I were watching cartoons like a couple of losers.

"Hello there, Thalia," Professor X greeted, "how are you?"

"I'm good, sir," I replied still stunned from the unexpected arrival. Professor Xavier has been a close friend of my Mutant mother's and my geneticist father for years. He was a good man who helped Mutants get their powers under control all in a safe environment. Since our existence is something of a secret, not many people were aware of the Institute unless Professor X wanted them to be. It's funny how people relied so heavily on aliens and metahumans, but the thought of Mutants being exposed sent most of our kind into a panic. Well…maybe it's because we have close to no control or any way of knowing _how_ our powers will develop. I haven't seen the Professor since my parents gave up on their work with the X-gene. That was when I was a young girl. Like…seven years old or so. "Not that I'm not ecstatic about seeing you again, sir, but…what are you doing here?"

"Your mother called," Professor Xavier explained, "she's concerned about your abilities." Oh…right. Mom didn't know about the League. That's what sucks about having my parents not know about my secret double life as Batman's apprentice. I mean, it's okay for my mom to have the ability of pyrokinesis, but if she ever finds out that I'm running around with the Justice League, I'm gonna be instantly shipped back to Indiana. Trust me, Indiana? Not all that fun.

"I'm doing fine with my abilities," I assured him a bit defensively. Not all mutants were out of control. I'm definitely not, but maybe that's because one of my friends is Atlantean.

"Nevertheless," Professor Xavier continued, "your mother is concerned for your well being. For one, I agree with her. You don't know how your powers may or may not mutate further." Oh God, what if I turned into a puddle of water? That would not help me with any crime fighting. Unless I could be the puddle that the Riddler slips on.

"What does Bruce say about this?" I inquired. Bruce was my guardian while I lived in Gotham. All decisions had to be run through him before they could be put into effect. That, and he's my boss.

"I think it's a good idea," my cousin said. "It's the safest place for you to be right now, and you'd still be getting an education." _But I wouldn't be able to beat up thugs on the street_, I complained silently. Then I remembered that Professor X was a telepath and could probably read any thought in my mind if he wanted to. Oh, this is going to be interesting.

"It's going to be great," the redhead assured me excitedly, "there are a bunch of other students, and we all train together. It's a good way to meet other people like us and get complete control." Oh, God, not a happy go-lucky chick. Please tell me she's not my roommate. In fact, please tell me I don't _have_ a roommate.

"Bruce, may I have a word with you?" I asked my cousin sharply, I got up off the couch and motioned for Dick to stay put, "Entertain our guests, would you?" I half-led, half-shoved Bruce into the library. I didn't want anyone within earshot, but it's impossible to get us far enough away from a telepath. I crossed my arms and glared at my cousin. Bruce carried an intimidating air to him, and I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of his batarangs. "What are you thinking?" I exclaimed, "We're doing just fine on our own. I'm getting things under control. If I go to Bayville, there's no way that I'm going to be able to sneak in and out without someone finding out."

Bruce nodded, and I bet he's already thought it all out, "You need this. Go with them, and we can start your training again after your mother stops worrying."

"Bruce, I am _not_ putting my training on hold," I argued. I was getting better. I was training with Batman, and I'm _good _at what I do.

"Yes, you are," Bruce said in his no arguments voice. I rolled my eyes, but I didn't argue. Because, honestly, who argues with Batman? Nobody who isn't a national criminal. So, that's when my cousin made the decision to send me off to Bayville in order to be trained to take full reign of my powers.

_Present day – March 9, 2008 – Xavier Institute, Bayville, New York_

Now, I don't know whether or not you've seen Wayne Manor. The place is huge, and I mean _huge_. As in we can accommodate the entire Justice League and still have extra rooms huge. Well, the Xavier Institute was even bigger. The driveway alone had more trees around it than Gotham had altogether.

I waited in the room I assume to be the library, or maybe just a living room. Professor X was going to introduce me to the other kids, the other mutants. I've gotta say, I don't get nervous that much, but I was getting butterflies in my stomach. Would they like me? Would they think that I was a snobby rich girl? "Calm down," Ororo, the white haired woman who accompanied the professor to Wayne Manor, said soothingly, "you'll be just fine."

I laughed nervously and smoothed my jet black hair down, "Is it that obvious?" On that note, the door opened and a bunch of teens walked in along with a short man with blue hair, stubble, and the same angry expression Bruce usually wore around the house.

"Is this her?" a guy wearing red shades asked. He wore a dark green sweater and khaki pants. His brown hair was cut short.

"Hey," a brunette chirped up. She wore a yellow top under a light rose colored sweater and jeans. "I'm Kitty. Like, welcome to the Institute."

"My name's Kurt," a boy with blue hair, fair skin, and a disheveled appearance introduced himself. He had a mild German accent, but not so faint that I couldn't recognize it. Bruce was well versed in German, but I only speak English.

"I'm Evan," a blond haired boy with dark skin greeted me. He wore a white sleeveless shirt and cargo shorts.

"My name's Scott Summers," the guy with the shades greeted.

"I'm Jean," the redhead from the other day formally introduced herself.

"My name's Rogue," a girl with heavy makeup and white bangs told me. She spoke in a southern twang.

"And this is one of our instructors, Logan," Professor Xavier introduced the man with the less than welcoming expression. Logan grunted his form of greeting.

"Ohmigosh! You're, like, Thalia Wayne!" Kitty exclaimed as she recognized me. Well, I can't just be living in Gotham without being sucked into the high society life along with Bruce. I mean, we share a last name don't we?

"Dude, that's so cool!" Evan commented appreciatively. I blushed as they started to talk about my cousin and myself. I blushed scarlet when Kitty, Jean, and Rogue complimented me on my work in the Wayne Style portion of the family business.

Professor Xavier cleared his throat meaningfully, and all the chattering died down, "Thalia has made it clear to me that she doesn't want to be treated as Bruce Wayne's younger cousin. I'd appreciate it if you'd all treat her like any other student."

"Oh, alright," Evan said, but stage whispered, "can you get me an autograph from your cousin?" I laughed at his joke. Things were going well enough without any complications.

"So, Thalia," Kitty said and jumped onto a couch, "what kind of powers do you have? I can, like, move through things."

"I'm a hydrokinetic," I told them. I have the ability to manipulate any substance with a water base into any form I want, or I can suck the water right out of it. I can also move at extreme speeds and breathe while underwater.

"That's pretty cool," Rogue commented. There are less fascinating mutations out there. My abilities were useful in battle. I mean, just look at Aqualad.

I shrugged, "It comes in handy. Does someone mind showing me to my room? I kinda want to take a nap after the ride here."

"I'll do it," Kitty volunteered happily. She grabbed my wrist and pulled me after her. I managed a small wave as I left the room. "So, what grade are you in?" Kitty asked as we fell into step going through the halls.

"Just ending my freshman year," I replied.

"That's so cool!" Kitty exclaimed over excitedly, "I'm a freshman too, so we might be in the same classes!"

"Would you believe me if I said I'm terrified?" I asked embarrassedly. I appear on magazine covers across the country, but the thought of going to school in a new place so soon towards the end of the school year is not a good thing.

"Ohmigosh, you are _not_," Kitty drew the sentence out. "You're Thalia Wayne! Oh, sorry, I didn't mean that!" She seemed embarrassed for her outburst. I didn't take offense to it. It was Bruce's idea to attempt to keep a low profile, but I'm a Wayne, there's no such thing as a low profile for us unless there's a mask involved.

"And I get scared sometimes," I replied. Kitty stopped in front of a door and opened it, handing me a key. "Don't worry about it," I brushed her apology off and smiled. The room was definitely nice. Nice furniture, a computer in the corner, a desk, a bed, and a couple windows. Not too shabby.

"Do you need help unpacking?" Kitty asked looking at my overstuffed suitcase, duffel bag, and purse.

"Nah, I'm good, thanks," I smiled gratefully. "Uh, do you mind…er, that is… I kinda want to take a nap, so…?" I don't want to just straight up tell the girl to get out, but I don't want her to see me unpack.

"Oh, sure," Kitty said and smiled as she walked out the door, "I'll see you later." I sighed heavily once the door closed. I unzipped my duffel bag. I had brought only the necessities with me from Gotham. Shirts, underwear, pants, shorts, skirts, utility belt, uniform, mask. Yeah, just what I need. I took out the clothes that don't belong in the Batcave and refolded them. There was a closet and dresser in the room. I neatly put my clothes away, except for my utility belt which I shoved into the bottom of my purse. After I finished unpacking, I lied down on the extremely comfortable bed and softest pillows I've ever had in my entire life.

"Thalia?" Jean called from the other side of the door. I ignored her and buried further under the thick blankets.

"Is she awake?" Kurt asked, "She might not be up."

"Maybe I should go check?" Kitty said uncertainly. My God, was everyone in the Institute just standing outside my door? I threw the covers off, ran my brush through my hair, and opened the door. Jean, Kurt, Kitty, and Scott were standing in the hall.

"Hey," I greeted drowsily.

"Some of us were going to go hang out at the mall, want to come?" Evan informed me. The mall? As in…a public place with a lot of people? Haha, yeah sure… I was skeptical of going into a place where I could very well get mobbed by reporters, but who knows when I might get invited to something like this again?

I nodded, "Sure. Just let me…uh, look better than this." I closed the door and hurried to change out of the clothes I wore in the car and into a midriff revealing teal tank top, a pair of dark wash jeans, and an off the shoulder black top. I ran through my hair with a brush again and bobby pinned it back. Then I grabbed my black purse and shot out the room. They led me into the garage, which wasn't quite as big as Bruce's, but still pretty impressive. Then I saw an absolutely gorgeous cherry red convertible with white stripes down the hood. I was there in an instant. Not that the Batmobile was unattractive or anything, but…this car was _sweet._

"I think she likes your car, Scott," Jean laughed lightly.

"Ohmigosh," I breathed, "can I drive her sometime?"

"Oh no," Scott said protectively and got in the driver's seat, "you don't even have your license yet, do you?" I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. That is just a technicality. I've known how to drive since I was twelve. I even got behind the Batmobile's wheel when auto driver just doesn't do the job. Plus, I have the Starcycle.

"It's okay," Kurt said and strapped in next to me, "Scott doesn't let anyone drive his car." Kitty sat next to me on the right, and Jean sat in front. I didn't get much of a look of the town on the drive here. It was pretty suburban, nothing like Gotham. Some of the land was developed, but not all of it. I kind of like it.

"So, what do you think of the Institute so far?" Scott asked, hopefully keeping his eyes on the road behind those shades of his.

"I haven't seen that much of it," I reminded him, "but it seems cool. I mean, the property's probably even larger that the manor."

"Just wait until you start training," Kurt groaned. "Logan makes it so that we can't feel our muscles in the morning." Eh, nothing Bruce hasn't made me and Dick feel before. Some of his rigorous training sent me to bed crawling on my stomach. It got better…eventually.

"And, like, the danger room," Kitty added. Danger room? _Uh…my mom's supposedly okay with this?_

Jean must've caught my expression in the mirror because she explained, "The danger room's where we do most of our training to prepare for any situation that might happen in the field." That made sense. We didn't do that in the League. Batman just had Martian Manhunter create an illusion for me to deal with. The other mutants asked me more questions about where I'm from, what kinds of music I like, what sports I do at Gotham Academy, and what living with Bruce Wayne is like. I answered all of them and really started to feel as if I was getting off to a good start.

Scott found a good parking spot not that far from the mall entrance, but as we were pulling in, a Jeep cut us off and took the spot. The kids in Scott's car made different variations of outraged protest. We found a spot a little bit farther back. When we walked past the Jeep again, I saw that the passengers hadn't left yet. The driver was a tall guy with shoulder length dark brown hair. There were three other guys piling out of the car. One of them was really, really, and I mean really obese with a blond Mohawk. Another was short and kind of awkwardas if his back and limbs weren't used to standing. He had longish light brown hair, a sickly appearance, and yellowish sclera. The last person had snowy hair, fair skin, a lean figure, sharp features, and he was looking straight at me.

"Yo, who's the newbie?" the weird short guy asked and pointed at me. I took little offense to his bluntness.

"Thalia?" Pietro asked in surprise. He was wearing a brown long sleeved shirt tucked into jeans and a belt with a silver buckle. I grinned as he recognized me.

"Long time no see, hmm?" I asked my old friend. It's been years since I last saw him, and that was when we were just kids. Way before I joined up with Bruce and Dick.

"You know this creep?" Kitty asked and glanced between us.

"Yeah, our parents were friends," I answered and looked him over. He had his left ear pierced now, and he stood with a newfound confidence. I hadn't noticed that before. Or business partners, that's a better way of putting it. My mom and dad enlisted the help of Mr. Lensherr and Professor X when I was a child. They had expected my powers to develop at a young age, like my mom, but when I never showed any Mutant abilities, my parents dismissed the two Mutants.

"C'mon, Thalia," Scott and Jean grabbed my wrists and pulled me after them. I smiled apologetically at Pietro and followed my new teammates.

"What's the rush?" I asked and pulled myself free of them once we got inside. The mall's a two story building crawling with shoppers and kids just hanging out. I get the feeling that my new pals aren't on good terms with Pietro and his friends. Not that I can say that I particularly like the tall guy's driving methods.

"Those guys are bad news, Thalia," Kurt explained. _Bad as in taking a kid's lunch money bad, or bad as in Belle Reve bad?_ I wondered to myself.

"You don't want to get involved with them," Scott said sternly.

"They're just a bunch of losers," Kitty added. Trouble and losers. They didn't sound that bad, but then again…I glanced at the doors where the four boys had just walked in. Pietro caught me staring and smirked. I rolled my eyes but there was a smile on my face.

"Hey, are you even listening to me?" Scott demanded. I knew he was talking, but I didn't pay him any attention. He was just going to give me one of those long lasting lectures about who's in and who's out, and I honestly don't care about that. I know to stay away from trouble, but somehow, trouble always finds me.

"No, not really," I answered honestly. Then I felt something, or rather someone poking around in my head. I thought of the most gruesome memory I've ever had and focused hard on it. I was on one of my missions, one involving a Cadmus creation gone wrong. It was a young boy of around seven or eight. His body was disfigured with bloody gashes and skin hanging off, missing limbs that had been replaced by claws and tentacles. His pure black eyes had carried a promise of death. Jean gasped in fear and shock, and that's when I knew who was going through my mind unwanted.

I took her by surprise and pinned her to the wall with my forearm on her throat and glared at the telepath. I don't like people going through my memories. I carry secrets with me. Secrets about Bruce, and Dick, and the rest of the League. Those are secrets I would keep even at the cost of my own life. "Do _not_ enter my mind uninvited," I growled menacingly.

"Seriously, Jean!" Kurt exclaimed, "We're trying to make the new girl _like_ us." I was ready for a fight; hell, I wanted to fight. The rush of adrenaline you get only when you land a good punch after dodging a flurry of attacks. I'm not an adrenaline junkie by the way.

"We're going shopping, come on," Kitty announced and pulled me after her. Okay, what's with everyone pulling me this way and that? I know how to walk people! Kitty brought me to a store with a bunch of different styles of women's clothing.

"What did Pietro do to make everyone hate him so much?" I asked while we were browsing a rack. I'm not surprised that he's made enemies. I mean, he was a troubled kid, but it would be nice to know what kind of trouble he's been causing as of late.

"He's, like, an arrogant ass and part of the Brotherhood," Kitty explained, and the disdain in her voice was clear as day. Her voice softened as she put her hand on my shoulder supportively, "But you don't have to listen to Scott, _all_ the time." I grinned at what she was implying and decided that I just might like this girl. I held up a black and lime green top with slashes on the back and noticed a couple of girls stare at me and point as they passed by. I lowered the shirt and met their stares with an icy glare. Their heads dipped and they spoke rapidly to each other. Kitty followed my gaze and spun me around towards the dressing rooms. "Go try that on," Kitty ordered.

I walked into a changing room and switched shirts. The design was cute enough, but lime green is way too bright a color. I walked out and looked for my new friend only to find that she was on the other side of the shop. Kitty glanced over her shoulder and nodded enthusiastically at me with a thumbs up. I laughed to myself and went to change back to my own shirt.

When I walked out, Pietro was sitting on the chair across from the dressing rooms flipping through a magazine. He folded the magazine's pages back and held up an article inches from my face. He had moved from four feet away to up in my face in less than a second. Impressive, but Barry has him beat. The article Pietro held up to my face had a picture of me smiling in front the Wayne Foundations building with the scholar from a couple years ago. "That's a good picture of you," Pietro commented, "too bad they didn't get your better side."

"And what side would that be?" I asked lightly and stepped around him to return the top to where I found it earlier.

"Your Mutant side, of course," Pietro replied and took the shirt from my hands. "I like it. Really shows off your inner rebel."

I rolled my eyes, "I wouldn't say that my Mutant side is my best side." Personally, I prefer my alias to my real self. I'm a famous person who's a Mutant, think about how that would reflect on Bruce if the truth got out.

"What're you doing with those losers, Lia?" Pietro asked, his playful demeanor changing in an instant. He wasn't mocking me, just asking. At least, that's what I think judging by his tone.

"Watch it, Maximoff," I warned in a low voice so that Kitty wouldn't hear, even though she was still at the other side of the room, "I need them. Mom thinks that I need special training, and Bruce agrees with her. I'm staying here until Professor Xavier says I can go back into the real world."

Pietro's eyes narrowed, "They're just going to hold you back. I know you. You like to do things your way, and you won't let anyone tell you otherwise." He pretty much got that right. I like to do things the way I see best, and the only people who I take orders from are the League and whoever they assign leader of a mission.

"I do what I have to," I corrected him. At the moment, my priority is finishing with this training so I can get back into uniform and head back to Gotham. That's when Kitty returned to my side with her hands on her hips and glaring at Pietro. He nodded once to me and then he was gone, whipping some clothes off the rack and tables after him.

"That was cute," Kitty snorted sarcastically.

I laughed, "Uh, it was _weird._ So, Kitty, did you find anything you like?"

Kitty shrugged, "Everything here is, like, too expensive for me." Ah, so she thought that I would be comfortable shopping in the designer shops. Either that or she wanted me to pay for her.

"Do you want me to pay?" I asked, completely ready to whip out my wallet.

Kitty put her hands up immediately in protest, "No way! That's really sweet, but there's no way I could pay you back."

I smiled and grabbed her hand, pulling her out of the store, "Okay, let's go find something a little bit more in our budget." So that's how I spent my first day in Bayville. Shopping in the mall with Kitty Pryde. She's actually really cool despite being one of those girls who's always aware of what's in right now. We met up with the others for lunch in the mall's food court. Kitty and I had three bags altogether. Two large bags, one for each, of new clothes and a small one full of accessories. I was able to find some of my designs from the Wayne Style line which looked fantastic on Kitty.

"So, did you have fun?" Jean asked. I noticed how she didn't have any bags. Even Scott and Kurt bought some new CDs and other crap.

I nodded enthusiastically, "This place is actually pretty great. I expected it to suck." Hey, can't blame me for being honest.

"She's soo cool!" Kitty exclaimed to the rest of the boarder. I blushed at the compliment very faintly and kept my eyes on the burger on my tray. "Like, none of that magazine trash is as good as actually getting to know her! Kurt, you should know…"

Kurt jumped up and muffled Kitty's voice with his hand, he laughed awkwardly, "Oh, Kitty. Let's not talk about that."

Kitty rolled her eyes and Kurt slowly withdrew. I saw the Brotherhood swaggering towards our table, and Scott saw where I was looking. His entire face tensed. Whoa, did it just get colder in here or is it just me? "Hey Summers," the brunette, who I assume to be the leader sneered.

The creepy short guy sauntered up to me and tried for a cool appearance, "Hey, what's up, babe?"

I smiled at him sweetly, and his cocky grin widened. I handed him a can of pop, "Would you mind opening for this? I would, but I don't want to ruin my manicure." I gave him one of those sad puppy dog looks that was absolutely irresistible.

"Sure, sure," the creep took my pop and opened it. I focused on the sugary liquid in the can and directed it into a powerful stream that shot up at him, soaking him in the face. Okay, a waste of pop, but totally worth it. The spray lasted for longer than it should have. The entire table erupted into laughter. When I sensed that there wasn't any more of the drink left in there, I stopped it.

"Oh, now I need a new drink," I sighed dramatically.

"Oh, that's a good one Thalia!" Kitty said between laughter. My first demonstration of my powers seemed to have gone well. Except with Jean who was watching me through narrowed eyes.

"Not cool, yo," the guy said and wiped the pop off his face with his soaked sleeve. I can't say that it helped him all that much.

"I think it was pretty cool," Kurt laughed and wiped tears from his eyes. I high-fived him from across the table.

"Thalia," Jean said in a tone that I would use with a child who was about to get a time out, "we don't take advantage of our powers like that." I rolled my eyes, and so did Kurt and Kitty. It's not like I made water needles shoot out at the guy. Which I could have done just as easily.

"Lighten up, Jean," Kitty stuck her tongue out at the older girl.

"Listen to her, newbie," the leader said with a cocky expression on his face, "you don't want to cause trouble."

"Back off, Alvers," Scott said defensively. All the Mutants at our table rose to their feet.

"Just leave her alone, man," Pietro said to his teammate. "C'mon, it's not worth it." I can't say that I was grateful to him, because he was wearing an identical expression as Alvers when he looked at my new friends.

"Whatever," Alvers grumbled. They walked away, and I bet they'd be back with a vengeance judging from the dirty looks. Bayville just got interesting. I was starting to get the feeling that this place was gonna give me more than I bargained for.

We were in the parking lot, and the tires of Scott's car were slashed. "I'm going to kill them," Scott threatened. I get the feeling that he wasn't even kidding. His words became incoherent grumbling, but I caught a couple choice phrases in there.

"Sorry, Scott," I said apologetically. It was my fault for provoking them with that little trick earlier. Scott grumbled to himself and started to take out his cell phone.

"It's not your fault," Scott said while he waited for someone to pick up.

"Yeah," Kurt agreed, "it's the Brotherhood's own fault for being jerks." Uh, I'm sensing some bad blood between the two groups of Mutants.

"Who are those guys anyway?" I asked nobody in particular. I knew Pietro, but the other three were complete strangers to me.

"The tall guy with the ripped jeans is Lance Alvers. He creates earthquakes and stuff," Kitty answered me first.

"Fred Duke's the fat one with the Mohawk," Kurt added, "and get this, his codename is Blob."

"Todd Tolansky's the boy who you soaked with your drink," Jean concluded pointedly. I shrugged in response to her not so subtle jab at me.

"Kurt, take Kitty and Thalia back to the Institute," Scott instructed, "Jean and I will wait here for the tow truck….uh, hi? Yeah, I need a tow truck…" I would've waited around, but I felt a fuzzy hand on my upper arm and squeaked in surprise. I turned and saw Kurt blushing, then I heard a poof and smelled sulfur. We were standing in the middle of the kitchen.

"That," I said appreciatively, "is really, really cool. So, fur, huh?" Kurt tinkered with his watch and then his entire appearance changed. His skin was actually blue fur, he had three furry fingers, and a pointed tail. I nodded without surprise. Hey, I've spent three years with Batman, appearances really don't surprise me that much anymore. "Okay, that is _wicked_," I exclaimed. He had a demonic appearance, but it was also kinda cute.

"You're not scared?" Kurt blinked once in confusion. I wouldn't have gone running for the hills if that's what he expected.

"Eh, as long as you don't try to murder me in my sleep, it's cool," I replied jokingly. Kurt pressed a few dials on his watch again, and his human appearance returned.

_Thalia, would you come to my office, please,_ Professor X projected the thought into my mind.

"I gotta go, the Professor wants to see me," I said to Kitty and Kurt, waved, and ran out the door. I managed to get lost in the mansion. Well, somehow, I made it to the office. Professor X was sitting behind a desk with a towering pile of books set out in front of him on top of the stack was a manila envelope. Being my nosy detective self, I immediately wanted to know what was in the envelope. It caught my attention because the entire desk was neat and tidy.

"Ah, Thalia, come in," the Professor said as I stood awkwardly in the doorway. I shut the door behind me and took a seat on the opposite of him on the other side of his desk. "I just received your class schedule for Bayville High School. I also took the liberty of having your books mailed as well. You could speak to the other students about the classes. I realize how uncomfortable you must be, transferring schools so close to the end of the school year."

"Thanks, Professor," I took the envelope with a relieved sigh. I opened the envelope and scanned its contents. Honors English, Honors Biology, Drawing I, Honors Geometry I, Gym, and Social Studies. "You're very welcome. I hope that the Institute is to your liking," Professor Xavier said as I looked over the paper.

"It's great here," I acknowledged. I looked up from my schedule, "Professor, are we the only Mutants here? I mean, there aren't any more of us?" I was under the impression that there would be more than six kids under training at the Institute.

"There will be, eventually," Professor Xavier replied. "We invite young Mutants to join us here, but it is entirely their choice to choose." _It wasn't my choice,_ I thought scathingly. I don't argue with Bruce, but I would've put up a fight with my parents. Their ruling was final, nothing I said would make a difference. "You may go find your new friends now, Thalia," Professor X said, sensing my excitement to bound up the stairs to Kitty and inform her of my classes. School starts tomorrow, and I was anxious. I found Kitty and the other kids in the living room.

"I got my classes," I announced and waved the paper around in the air while my other arm held the stack of books. Apparently, I needed both hands to carry the huge pile of books, because they toppled onto the ground. "Whoops," I said with a slight blush. Everyone crowded around to help me.

"Oh, that's so cool, we're going to be in the same Social Studies class," Evan told me and handed me the book to that class. The other students started to tell me about who's a cool teacher and who's not, and the kids at Bayville. The _human_ kids. It didn't sound any different from Gotham Academy. There were cliques, and there were people who I wouldn't want to get involved with. Yeah…school. Awesome.

Later on, Jean and Scott came back with new tires and we all had dinner together at a long table in the large kitchen. The food was good, and it was so much louder than dinner in the Manor. Bruce was always so quiet, so Dick and I carried the conversation on our own. After eating, Kitty accompanied to my room. She sat at the desk chair and flipped through a magazine that was there when I got in. It must've been a house warming gift.

"You are soo lucky that you don't have a roommate," Kitty commented enviously. "I don't even see why I need to have a roommate. We have enough rooms here."

I laughed and read through my emails on my laptop. A message from Dick asking about the Institute, a video attachment from Wally, seven emails from my friend Mia, and an email from Mom. I didn't read all of Mia's, but promised her that I'd call soon. "Rogue's cool, though," I commented. She really was. I totally loved the Goth chic look, and it totally worked on Rogue. Plus, Rogue had the kind of attitude I liked. "Hey, do you think that anyone at the school's going to recognize me?" I asked worriedly. The thought of wearing my mask to school had actually crossed my mind.

"Duh!" Kitty exclaimed and threw her arms up.

"Kitty's right, ya know?" Rogue said from the doorframe. "I don't think anyone's gonna miss seein' ya."

I groaned and buried my face in my hands. The last thing I need is for someone to call the reporters about Thalia Wayne suddenly attending school in Bayville. "I'm sure they'll think something to keep the press away," Kitty assured me. Just then my phone vibrated in my pocket, demanding that I answer it. It was my parents' number from Indiana.

"Thalia Wayne here," I answered. That's how I answered all of my calls, just in case the media or Bruce called.

"Hi, hon," Mom greeted me, "how's the Institute? Do you like it there?"

"It's great," I answered as enthusiastically as I could. "The other students are really cool. How's Dad?"

"Caught up at the lab," Mom answered tiredly. "Are the other kids nice?" It isn't good enough that I just said that the other kids are cool, she had to know that they were being _nice_ to me. Seriously, I can handle bad people. Hell, I put bad people into Belle Reve on a daily basis…or at least I used to.

"Yeah," I assured her, "everything's great."

An awkward silence ensued. Then Mom asked, "When do you start school again? I don't want you falling behind. Oh, what am I talking about? Charles wouldn't let that happen." Uh…and I _can't _fall behind. I can hack Cadmus in under ten minutes; trust me, that's not an easy feat to achieve. "I know this is a difficult time for you," Mom continued, "it was hard for me too, but you'll get your powers under control." Here we go again. Mom assuming that I'm the girl she has envisioned in her head. The way she sees it, I'm just like her. Going through the same problems as her, needing the same help as her. I doubt that she had the kind of training I do when she was my age.

"Look, Mom," I said slowly and glanced at my friends who were watching me patiently, "I have to go. School starts tomorrow, and I want to make a good first impression."

"Oh," Mom said, drawing the word out, "I'll call you again, okay? Good night, Thalia."

"Night," I said after she hung up. I sighed and set my phone on the bed side table.

"So, are you really going to sleep early?" Kitty asked after a short moment of silence.

"Or were ya just sayin' that ta get rid of your mom?" Rogue added.

I glanced at the clock, only nine forty-five, but… "Yeah, I'll head in early tonight. See you guys tomorrow morning."

"Sure thing," Kitty said and hugged me, "bye-bye."

Rogue gave me a half wave and a shy smile, "'Night." The two Mutant girls walked out of the room. I counted to fifty just to be sure that they were out of earshot, and then I reached for my cell phone and called Bruce. The phone rang twice before he picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Boss. Yeah, so it's been a day, and I haven't beat anyone up. I bet you're proud," I teased. I heard a couple grunts and an explosion. Oh, great. They're on a mission without me!

"How's it going there? Have you started training?" Bruce continued after saying something that was too muffled for me to understand. "Get down!" he ordered, and I heard another explosion.

"Oh, it's good. The place is huge, and I mean even bigger than the house. I haven't trained yet, I think they just want me to settle in first. They're gonna be surprised when they see me show off all the training I did with you," I responded as if we were carrying a normal conversation on both ends. "What am I missing out on? It sounds fun." I was completely ready to put on my mask and belt and be on my way.

"Don't even think about it, Star," Batman said warningly, "You're staying put."

I rolled my eyes even though I know he wouldn't be able to see it. "Is that Star?" I heard Robin ask from the background. Bats must've nodded or something because Robin said, "Hey, Star! How's your new place? Oh, crap." I heard another explosion and sighed.

"You guys are having all the fun without me!" I complained, "Who is it?"

"Joker," both of them answered at the same time.

"Be careful," I hissed into the phone.

"We oughtta be the ones telling you that, Star," Robin said clearly. "So, have you snooped around yet?" Bats must've switched the phone over to Robin.

"Nah," I replied and sat back on my bed. "I'm trying not to get in trouble. How's everything back there?"

"It's good," Robin replied, "not that much fun, so I'm spending most of my time hanging out with Wally."

"Put the damn phone away!" Batman ordered Robin. I snickered and held the phone away from my mouth so that they wouldn't hear me.

"So, we have to go. Good luck at your new place," Robin said quickly and hung up. _I'm gonna need it,_ I thought as I changed into a pair of pajamas and crawled into the unmade bed. My first day of school started tomorrow…and I'm screwed.


	2. Chapter 2

_BEEEP, BEEEEEP, BEEEEP_ my alarm clock repeated incessantly. I got up groggily and squeaked when I saw my reflection. My hair looked like a rat's lair. Not even one of those cool lairs, just…a nasty tangle. I ran my brush through my hair and felt some hair get ripped out. _Ugh, I hate mornings. _I did my best, grabbed a towel from my duffel bag and a fluffy robe. Hey, it's not designer or anything, I got it at the mall in Gotham. I hurried to the bathroom and was lucky enough to find out that there wasn't a line. I put the 'occupied' door sign on the handle and locked the door behind me.

I took a quick shower, wrapped myself in the black robe, and looked at my reflection in the fogged up mirror. I have an average appearance. Long jet black hair, fair skin, and inky black eyes. I'm not tall, at 5 foot three. I have a somewhat lean and muscular form from crazy training with Batman and the League. Drying my hair would take too long, so I just focused on the excess water on my hair and all of it slid off in one fluid motion. Now, my hair's dry and there's a floating ball of water in front of me. I dropped the orb of water into the sink and gathered up my clothes.

In my room, I tossed my clothes into the hamper, and changed into a button down white blouse, navy skirt, and sandals. It was basically my uniform from Gotham Academy without the logo or tie. I pushed my hair back and combed it out, unfortunately my powers don't _completely_ help out with my hair problems. I put in a metal headband and decided to keep it simple. I looked like a goody-goody, but that's what I was going for. I grabbed my purse and made sure that everything was in there. Utility belt (always number one on the list), cell phone, water bottle, mp3 player, wallet, other junk…yeah, I'm good. Then my black backpack and the books I wouldn't need immediately.

"Thalia," Kitty knocked on the door twice, "breakfast time." I threw my purse over my shoulder and opened the door. Kitty was wearing an outfit similar to the one she wore yesterday. "Did you sleep well?" I shoved my Social Studies and Bio books at her.

"Yes!" I exclaimed with a laugh followed by a yawn, "Almost too well. I didn't want to set my alarm." The table had a whole buffet set out for us. Kitty and I were the first ones there, so we got the best pick of the food. I had pancakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon. I practically inhaled all the food by the time everyone else got in.

"You learn to get up earlier than everyone else if you want the good stuff," Kitty said as the guys piled food onto their plates. It's amazing how six teenagers can clean out a whole buffet breakfast.

"Who's riding with me?" Scott asked us in the garage.

"I call shotgun," Kurt announced, disappeared in a puff of smoke, and reappeared in the passenger seat. Kitty, Rogue, and I piled into the back of the car. Jean crossed her arms and stuck her hip out.

"No fair, Kurt, you can teleport there," Jean complained.

"But…" Kurt started to argue.

"Kurt, just teleport Evan there and we'll meet up with you there," Scott instructed. Kurt sighed heavily and got out of the car, allowing Jean to climb into the previously occupied seat. Kurt put his hand on Evan's shoulder and then they were gone. Just like that. Scott pulled out of the drive way and drove us into the town.

The school has three stories, a tan coloring, and red roof. The school's property seemed to be fairly large. It wasn't as impressive as Gotham Academy. Well, on the way in I saw Pietro and the Brotherhood hanging out in the shadows of the school building. I saw them watching us with hateful expressions, except Pietro, who looked straight at me with a guarded look on his face. I didn't look away quickly, because that would make me seem guilty. My eyes flickered from him, to Fred, to Todd, to Lance, and then straight ahead. Evan skated away on his skateboard, Rogue left silently, and Jean and Scott went away with some of their friends. "Thanks for not abandoning me," I said to Kitty and Kurt as they directed me through the school to the office. I kept my focus straight ahead as kids pointed and stared at me openly. I heard some phones click as a few people snapped pictures…admit.

"We wouldn't leave you alone on your first day," Kurt told me.

"Yeah, that's, like, totally wrong," Kitty agreed. I didn't have to go to the office, because I had received everything in the envelope the Professor gave me. My locker number, my combination, my classes, the times I have each class…everything. Kitty and Kurt were helping me put my books away in my locker.

Then the speakers went on overhead, "Good morning students, this is Principal Darkholme. Today we're welcoming a _special_ new student from Gotham City. Thalia Wayne. I'm warning you all to treat her as you would any other student, and if there are any pictures sent around in any way or any contact of the media," the woman's voice overhead paused for that moment to let everything sink into the students' heads, "I will have the student who notifies any media immediately expelled. Have a nice day." There were some grumbles among the students. I guess that would do. Nobody would expose me to the press unless they wanted to get expelled.

"Well, you don't have to worry about that," Kitty commented perkily.

"That Principal Darkholme sure seems like a fun lady," I said sarcastically.

"Oh yeah," Kurt said jokingly, "she's great at parties." We all laughed at this little joke. People still stared at me, but I was okay with it. I mean, it's not like I haven't been on display before. Kurt ran off when we passed his homeroom class and promised to meet up with us later.

"You gonna be okay?" Kitty asked worriedly, "Like, if the kids bother you…"

I smiled reassuringly at her, "I'm gonna be fine. You better go, I don't want you to be late." She only had three minutes before class officially started. I walked into Mr. Richards's classroom. Mr. Richards is a tall man with graying short brown hair and a gentle smile.

"Thalia Wayne?" Mr. Richards asked.

"Yes, sir," I replied politely, still standing in the entrance of the room.

"Well, don't be shy," the teacher said and motioned for me to come in. "welcome to Bayville. Students, students, settle down!" The rowdy class quieted and turned to look at me. They were scattered all over the room. Clumping around desks in groups, while others sat and did homework or class work or something. I noticed a familiar face in the back of the room. He had a somewhat smugly amused expression as I stood awkwardly by the door.

"Dude, it's really her," one of the guys in a red and white letterman's jacket said oh so smartly.

"I thought they were just lying about that," another guy said.

Mr. Richards cleared his throat loudly, "Class, meet Thalia Wayne. Our new transfer student from Gotham Academy."

"Hey," I said and walked completely into the room instead of by the doorway.

"Thalia, you can take a seat in back," Mr. Richards said. I recalled what Rogue had told me about Mr. Richards. He was a cool, laid-back teacher who didn't care about what we did as long as we didn't cause trouble. I walked into the back of the classroom, and picked the seat next to Pietro only because there weren't any other vacant spots.

Pietro grinned at me when I sat down, "Welcome to Bayville High, Angel."

I smirked at the old nickname, "I'm no angel, Maximoff."

"That's what they say on Teen Stars," Pietro corrected. "I happen to know Lia Wayne better than any magazine reporters." Pietro was once a close friend of mine, possibly my best friend, but times change and so do people.

"What could you possibly know about me that hasn't been published?" I asked him, propping my elbow on my desk. Pietro's dark eyes glinted mischievously.

"Enough," Pietro shrugged, but the corners of his mouth turned up.

"How've you been?" I asked casually, changing the subject away from my Mutation. I'm nothing special. All I do is manipulate water to carry out my will…nope, nothing special at all.

Pietro shrugged and slouched casually in his seat, "Eh…school's already boring and it just started. I'm thinking about just skipping." The idea of skipping class wasn't exactly foreign to me. I had to be ready at all times to suit up and head out. Of course, I came up with an excuse, but the teachers didn't like it at all. Although, I can't say that skipping directly affected my grades.

"I wasn't talking about school." I said in a low voice so only he could hear, "What are you doing with the Brotherhood? They're the bad guys in this picture, Pietro." I don't want to see him involved with those guys. They'd just get him into trouble, but…maybe he's the one who causes the trouble. Pietro's a natural born leader, and the instigator.

"Why are you with the X-Men?" Pietro countered and leaned towards me with a challenging glint in his eyes.

"Because they're trying to help me," I replied firmly. Actually, I was with them because that's what Bruce said to do. If I had the choice, I would be in Gotham or Happy Harbor doing what I do best.

Pietro scoffed as he sensed my half-lie, "That's not it. We're exactly the same, Lia. My father wants me on the Brotherhood, and your mother wants you on the X-Men."

"When have we _ever_ cared about what our parents want?" I shot back angrily. I wasn't there for my mom, I was in Bayville because Bruce ordered it. Pietro's sardonic confidence wavered for a second, and I know he knew that I'm right. I thought that we had thought it all out when we were kids. Wanda, Pietro, and I had figured out that it was us against the world. Our parents would only see us as Mutants, or in my case human. I had it easier than the two siblings. At least my parents pretended.

"You don't understand," Pietro protested sadly and pulled away from me. I seethed through the rest of homeroom until class ended. I shrugged on my backpack and hurried out of the class without anyone seeing me. Thanks to Batman, I was able to move in and out of crowds without being spotted unless I wanted to be. Even _with _my name and face being plastered on every magazine out there.

Social Studies, Geometry, and Gym went by in the same way. Introduced myself to the teachers, and the students watching me with wide eyes. I sat as close to Evan as possible during Social Studies, and we passed notes the whole time. I wrote a joke about the old woman who taught the subject, and Evan choked on a laugh. After class I walked out with Evan while people continued to point and stare.

"It'll die down eventually," Evan assured me.

"I hope so," I said with a sigh. He waved bye and told me to meet the others at lunch. I went to my locker on my own. I'm willing to bet that there were some rumors going on about my appearance in Bayville, and they were probably extremely scandalous. I was at my locker, switching the books in my backpack, when some girls strutted up to me. They were all beautiful and had wide blinding smiles as they approached me. Each of them wore designer clothing, I know because I've attended enough fashion shows to recognize the label just by the stitching.

"Hi," the leader of the group, a tallish girl with waist length wavy golden curls, an artificial tan, and a truck full of makeup on her face. "I'm Bianca, welcome to Bayville. It must be totally lame for you, coming from Gotham City." I suppressed the exasperated sigh that fought to come out. I forced myself to smile at them politely. These girls were like Kitty when I first arrived, but unlike Kitty, they didn't have any interest in getting to know me as a person. They'd assume that they know everything about me based off a few interviews, a fan site, and a poll. I've encountered these kind of girls before.

"Thanks. It's great here. I like it," I replied.

Bianca laughed, and so did the rest of her posse, "I'm sure you do. I'm from New York, so I know what the city life is like. It's _so_ hectic, and I bet it's busier for you since you have _all_ those events to go to."

"It does get pretty busy," I admitted, "but mostly because of school and working at Wayne Tech sometimes."

"I bet you could probably just buy all the schools and not have to go," another girl commented. There was a murmur of agreement among the girls. Then they let loose with a bunch of questions.

"What's Gotham like?"

"When's your next Wayne Style line coming out?"

"Ohmigosh, is that _real_?" a girl grabbed my purse. I was on the verge of punching them all and taking off, but decided against it.

"Hey, hey," a familiar voice said, "leave the girl alone. Go on." Rogue had come to my rescue. The girls stopped and glared at her. Rogue didn't seem troubled by them in any way. Bianca came and linked her arm through mine as if we were the best of friends.

"Go away, you emo freak, you're ugly's gonna start rubbing off on us," Bianca sneered.

"At least half of my body isn't plastic," Rogue retorted. I pulled away from Bianca and walked over to Rogue's side.

"Thalia, you don't want to be seen with her. She's such a loser," Bianca said in a persuasive voice.

"She happens to be my friend," I snapped, dropping the façade. "If you're trying to get on my good side, you're doing a very bad job at it. I don't like it when people insult my friends."

"C'mon, Lia," Rogue said, and we left the girls gaping behind us. "How's your first day goin'?" Rogue asked once we turned the corner.

I sighed tiredly, "Honestly? I've been asked more times than I could count what the high society life is like and if I could extend an invitation to the next big party."

"Don't worry, soon they're just gonna start treatin' ya like any other kid," Rogue assured me. "Thanks for standin' up for me back there."

"Don't mention it," I smiled sincerely at her, "those girls were getting on my nerves anyway. Just because I have family connections doesn't mean that that's all there is to me. I'm still just a person who grew up in Northwest Indiana, and my life doesn't revolve around being popular."

"Wow," Rogue blinked in surprise, "I kinda had you pegged wrong, then. I thought you were just another goody-goody, popular, sweet-talkin' gal with a lotta cash."

"Oh, I am," I assured her with a sly grin, "but that's all a cover. I have to be on my best behavior for my cousin. I don't want him to look bad or anything, so I try to keep up a good appearance."

Rogue nodded as she started to understand my predicament, "So what's the real you like?"

I shrugged, "I like to hang out with my best friend at the café across the street from the school, we sneak into concerts sometimes, and I hate getting dressed up for those stupid dinners and parties and crap." I got my lunch from my locker and Rogue got in line to buy her food. The Mutants were spread out all over the place. Jean sat at a table on the far side of the cafeteria with a group of girls. Outside, Scott sat with a blond guy, the younger kids from the Institute sat at a table together, and the Brotherhood sat all the way in the back away from everyone. I saw three of them at the table, someone was missing. Suddenly, my lunch bag was torn from my hands, and Pietro was looking through the paper bag's contents.

"Eew, bologna," Pietro said in disgust, "other than that a pretty good lunch."

"Thanks, now can I have it back?" I held my hand out expectantly, but Pietro just smirked playfully. I sighed, but grinned as I lunged for the bag. Pietro, being taller than me by three or four inches, held the bag out of my reach.

"What's the magic word, Angel?" Pietro teased and pulled the bag back when I jumped for it.

I laughed despite how frustrating the situation was, "May I _please_ have my lunch back?" I lunged forward as he held it in front of him again, but he was too fast and spun around.

He tapped his forehead thoughtfully, before saying, "Nope." This time when I lunged, I anticipated the way he would turn. So when I jumped, and he turned around, I dropped low to the ground, and swept my leg into a well executed arc that swept his feet out from under him.

"Pietro, come on, this is stupid," I stated, but I was grinning. Honestly? I was having fun messing around with him.

Pietro just shrugged and was back on his feet in seconds. "Give her back her lunch, man," Evan said testily.

"Yeah, you're being, like, totally mean to her!" Kitty snapped.

"I was just playin'," Pietro put his hands up defensively and tossed me the brown bag. His eyes held Evan with contempt, and his arrogant smirk widened. "Wasn't I, Lia?" Pietro asked me.

I nodded, but I don't think any of my new housemates took their eyes off Pietro. So I had to speak aloud, "Guys, it's fine, we were just messing around."

"Stay away from her," Kurt said and pointed his finger at Pietro's chest.

"Yeah!" Evan agreed. I sighed, peacefully telling them to let it go isn't going to do any good. I stepped between the two guys and Pietro to avoid them starting something that we'd all regret later.

"Look, it was nothing," I assured my friends, "now let's just go sit down and eat. Okay?" The grudgingly let me usher them back to the table. I dumped the contents of my lunch bag onto the table. An apple, a bottle of water, and a folded up piece of paper. Kitty raised an eyebrow questioningly at me, but didn't say anything. I quickly snatched up the paper before the guys could see it. Pietro must've stuck it in there while he had my lunch.

Meet me after school at the front steps. See you there. –Pietro

I crumpled it up in my hand and stuck it discretely back into the lunch bag. Evan and Kurt didn't seem to notice anything, thank God. As soon as I finished reading the note, I had made up my mind to meet him. I nibbled on my sandwich while the guys talked about who would win in a fight. Logan or Aquaman. Personally, I felt that Aquaman would win, and so did Kurt. Evan disagreed and this became a heated argument between the guys.

"Dude, have you _seen _Logan when he's pissed off? There ain't no way that Aquaman could survive that man," Evan said.

"But Aquaman is much stronger than Logan," Kurt argued.

Kitty just rolled her eyes, "What does it matter? It's not like they're gonna fight anyway."

"What if the Justice League starts hunting us down if they find out we're Mutants? Man, that would suck," Evan said.

"They wouldn't do that," I snapped with more force than intended. My friends looked at me in surprise, and I worried that I had given too much away. The League wouldn't get involved with Mutant versus human skirmishes because it would make them seem as if they were taking sides. The League wouldn't be above suspicion either, considering how King Orrin is an Atlantean, Superman, Shayera, Katar, and J'onn are aliens, and Diana's an Amazonian there was enough doubt in the public.

"Yeah," Kitty agreed, "they have superpowers, too. We're, like, they're extended cousins."

"Then why are we the ones who have to hide our existence from the world?" Kurt demanded. My thoughts exactly. The world could accept the League, but the rest of us? It was out of the question. We had to stay in hiding. I would be able to seek refuge with the League, but the others? They'd be confined to the mansion.

I finished my lunch and tossed the apple core into the garbage and the bag into recycling. I put the water bottle into my purse next to the other one. I can only manipulate what's already there, therefore I need a water source at all times in order to use my powers. But water is everywhere. If I really wanted to, I could just use the water in the air or in plant life. However, carrying my own source of water was just easier.

"So, what did that paper say?" Kitty asked as we walked together.

"Oh, it was nothing," I lied and waved her off.

Kitty scoffed and rolled her eyes, "That is such a lie, Lia! What did it say? Was it Pietro?" I hated that knowing tone her voice had taken on. I remained silent, and she squealed triumphantly, "I knew it! I knew it! What did he want?"

"He wants me to meet him after school," I reported to my friend. "You can't say anything to the others, they're just going to overreact to this." I've only been there for a freaking day and a half, and I could already tell that Scott and Jean would blow something like this way out of proportion.

"I won't," Kitty promised, but her eyes were concerned, "just be careful, kay? Pietro's a flirt, so don't let your guard down."

I rolled my eyes, "I can take care of myself, Kitty, but I'll be careful."

"Okay, here, give me your phone, I'll program my number." I took out my cell phone and handed it to Kitty. Her fingers flew across the keyboard, and she handed the phone back to me, "Text me later." Then she skipped off to her next class.

The rest of the day seemed to go on forever. Even Drawing, which was usually my favorite class. Maybe it's just the stares or the desperate attempts people made to get my attention. I was relieved when the bell rang, dismissing the students. I ran to my locker and switched my books to get my homework and put away the stuff I don't need. I hid behind the school until I was sure that there wouldn't be anyone bugging me for something. I stepped cautiously to the front of the school where only a few students remained. Scott pulled up in his convertible with everyone already in the back, "Are you coming?"

I shook my head, "I think I'll just stay here for a little while and call when I need a ride." Scott nodded in understanding and drove away. As soon as they were out of sight, a sudden breeze passed me and Pietro was sitting on the steps, leaning back casually.

"I knew you were gonna show," Pietro said with a cocky grin.

"Oh yeah?" I asked skeptically, "What makes you think I'm here for you?"

"My irresistible charm," Pietro stated, now on his feet and standing on the sidewalk in front of me. "Come on, Angel, deny it. I dare you."

"Okay, fine," I rolled my eyes and settled on the steps. "I have to admit. I'm curious. Why'd you want me to meet you here?"

Pietro was next to me in an instant, "Just wanted to know how you're settling in." I scanned his face for anything that would contradict his words or give me any reason not to trust him, and I didn't find it. Instead, I was taken aback by the sincerity that graced his dark eyes. "Anyone giving you trouble? I heard that there were some girls earlier…"

"It's fine," I assured him, surprised that he had heard about the girls, and even more surprised that he cared to bring it up. "It was nothing. They were just getting on my nerves." Pietro nodded, and we lapsed into silence. He wanted to ask me about my Mutation, I know he does, but he was wondering whether or not now was a good time. I don't have to be a telepath to be able to see it. I sighed, "Go on, you want to know. Just spit it out already."

"When'd it happen?" Pietro asked as soon as I got the last word out.

"Five months ago," I informed him. I shuddered at the memory, my transition hadn't been one of my finest moments. Most Mutants go through the transformation fairly easily, except for people with exceptional psychic abilities. For Mutants like me, going through the change with that much pain was unusual. He waited for me to continue, so I recited the lie that Bruce had told my mother and the Professor, "I was having tea with Bruce in the library while I worked on my homework. Then I reached for the cup and the tea started floating. Trust me, nothing interesting."

"How'd you end up at your cousin's anyway? I thought your parents wanted you under surveillance," Pietro recalled the way my parents had always treated me as a child. Isolation…not all that fun.

"When they assumed that I wouldn't be a Mutant, they lost interest in me. I started spending summers with Bruce at the Manor, and eventually," _after I begged him to train me,_ "I just asked my parents to let me move to Gotham because of a scholarship offered to me by the Academy. You know how it is." He nodded in understanding, we were only valuable when we were useful in some way. To my parents, I was either a Mutant or a human. Although, Bruce knows I'm the kid who just wants to be acknowledged. Back in Indiana, I made some bad choices, which is what originally helped me convince Bruce to start training me.

"What do you say to me walking you back?" Pietro offered, back on his feet and extending his hand out to me.

"I'd say, what's in it for you?" I asked back.

"The company of the most beautiful girl here?" Pietro said mock-questioningly.

I smirked and slowly got to my feet, "Charming. Okay, sure. We have a lot to catch up on, don't we?"

"You sure you're not a telepath?" Pietro teased as we started to make our way down the street.

"Pretty sure. That would be pretty cool, though, wouldn't it? Being able to know what other people are thinking about?" I've always been intrigued by telepathy. I've witnessed Martian Manhunter's telepathy, and it always kept me on the edge of my seat. I trust J'onn not to go through my head, but…other telepaths always had me on edge.

"I'd just _love_ to know what people think of me whenever I want," Pietro agreed with a dark glint in his eyes. Yeah, that didn't seem like one of the moments I'd enjoy seeing into someone's mind. In fact, I don't think I ever want to know what was going on in that boy's mind. Then he smiled and that look in his eyes was gone, "Do you have any idea how surprised I was to recognize you at the mall? You look…great. I almost didn't recognize you."

I laughed lightly, "You don't look all that different, though. Except for the earring, and major growth spurt, you look pretty much the same."

"Yup, hot as ever. Right?" Pietro joked, at least I think he was joking.

"If you say so," I laughed outright. He was funny, a little bit egotistical, but funny.

Pietro put his hand on his chest feigning offense, "Are you sayin' you don't think I'm hot? That would make you the first, you know." I exercised my right to remain silent. Pietro's not _un_attractive, he's just not my kind of guy. In fact, he's actually really cute. Nothing compared to Roy, but still pretty cute. "Most chicks here would kill for some time alone with yours truly."

"I wonder why," I put on a confused expression to annoy him. He playfully punched my arm and laughed. "Rumor has it you're the heartbreaker of the school, Maximoff, that can't be healthy for your ego."

Pietro shrugged and zoomed to walk backwards in front of me, "Hey, I can't help it if none of the girls here keep my interest for too long. They make it too easy. Don't you worry about my ego, Lia, it's doing just fine." He paused for a moment, then said seriously, "You shouldn't believe everything the X-dorks say about me. Especially not Daniels."

"Why? What's Evan got against you?" I asked curiously.

"Eh, I might've framed him for trashing a hall of lockers back at our old school," Pietro must've saw my shocked expression because he immediately added, "but he got me back by getting me arrested…although, I did get _him_ arrested first…"

"Pietro!" I exclaimed aghast. The guy had a troubled past, but he definitely needs a new outlet. Trust me, criminal life for Mutants and metahumans just ends up with a one way ticket to Belle Reve.

"What?" Pietro's voice came out as a whine, "The guy totally had it coming. Besides, I need something to pass the time. When you're as fast as me, you need something to do. Ya get it?"

I scoffed at his lame excuse. Wally had super speed, but I never saw him trashing lockers or getting arrested. "That's a load of crap, Maximoff. My God…got himself arrested," I grumbled the last part to myself disappointedly.

"Are you mad?" Pietro asked tentatively.

I shook my head. Why would I be mad? I haven't seen this guy since we were kids. His choices were his own, even though I could tell that they were going to lead him down a darker path. One that would end very, very badly for him, and I had chosen to reform myself and become a beacon of justice…hold crap, I just sounded like Bruce there. "It's cool," I assured him, "I don't care. Despite what you probably think about me, I'm not a goody-goody." I'm more like a hero who has less than heroic methods. I give people what they deserve, but I relish a good fight. That's one thing Bruce hasn't been able to rid me of.

Pietro thought this over quietly, then he gave me a toothy grin, "When was the last time you had any fun?"

I raised an eyebrow suspiciously, "Depends on what you mean by fun." Pietro picked me up bridal style and took off at speeds no human could reach. I hated traveling via super speed; it always made me feel like throwing up. We ended up at a mansion, it wasn't as huge as Wayne Manor and definitely not as big as the Institute, but a mansion none the less. Pietro put me down, and I wobbled on my legs. On the bright side, I didn't puke.

"You okay?" Pietro asked worriedly.

I regained my balance and nodded, "Mhmm. That was just a little…" I searched my mind for a proper word to describe the feeling in my gut. The feeling of going faster than any car could travel…it was like going on a full speed rollercoaster.

"Fast?" Pietro suggested. I nodded dumbly, and Pietro took my hand and led me towards the back of the property. I'm not against breaking and entering, considering how I do it all the time flawlessly, but I don't think being there was a good idea.

"Pietro, what are we doing here?" I asked as he stopped and crouched behind some shrubs. I did the same and observed our surroundings. We had a clear view of the in-ground pool. A well-muscled guy with blond hair and swim trunks floated on the water.

"That's Duncan Matthews," Pietro's voice was just above a whisper, "he's a total jerk who picks on guys smaller than him." The light danced in his eyes as he continued, "He could use a lesson…"

I beamed as I caught on to what he was implying. What the other kids don't know won't hurt them… "Do you want to demonstrate, Mr. Maximoff?" I asked, enjoying myself. Pietro winked and then he was gone. I glanced around, trying to find him. Then a whirlwind of leaves made their way into the pool and on top of Duncan.

"What the…?" Duncan said in surprise. Springtime and there were leaves on the ground? Doubtful. Pietro reappeared at my side, and I held back the giggles from seeing Duncan's reaction.

"Your turn, Angel," Pietro whispered. I focused on the gallons of water in the pool. I could feel the water as if it was lapping against my own skin, and my mind became a part of it. I closed my eyes and pictured the water rolling with small waves. I opened my eyes and saw the very picture in my mind become reality.

"Whoa. Hey! Dad! What's going on with the pool?" Duncan shouted. Then I pictured the water changing in density on a molecular level and sharpening to a point. I watched as Duncan's inflatable tube popped and he fell into the water, which had calmed and was full of leaves. Pietro snickered and disappeared with a rush of wind.

When he reappeared again seconds later, he took my hand and carried me away. I closed my eyes so that I wouldn't get a headache from the speed which everything passed by at. Pietro ran smoothly, without any bumps or stumbling. He set me down a good block away from the Institute and ran a hand through his wind tousled hair. "They're gonna be wondering where you're at," Pietro said disappointedly.

I glanced at my phone, it was only four fifteen. About an hour after school had ended. There is absolutely no way that we had been gone for that long. "Right," I agreed.

"See ya tomorrow, Angel," Pietro said, saluted, and took off. I was left dumbstruck as a confused smile crossed my face. I walked the rest of the way back to the Institute. The gates swung open for me and I walked up the long driveway and to the front of the mansion. Kitty opened the door, and Jean stood behind her glaring at me.

"Hey," I greeted with a wave and walked in.

"And just where have you been?" Jean demanded with arms crossed.

"Out," I replied vaguely and waved her off, "I'm going to go up to my room and do homework. Wanna help me out, Kitty?"

"Sure," Kitty chirped up and followed me up the stairs to my room. I know that she's gonna ask me about the last hour and fifteen minutes, and I have no idea what I'm going to tell her. That was probably the best, most carefree hour fifteen minutes I've had in a long time. We shut the door behind us, and I sat on the bed, dumping out my homework. I was supposed to write an outline of Chapter Seventeen in Social Studies, and there was some stuff in Geometry that I had to work on. I decided to start with Geometry. "So, how was it?" Kitty asked impatiently, "Was he, like, a total jerk?"

"It was good," I replied, my mouth twitching up into a smirk, "and he was on his best behavior. I don't see why you guys hate him so much." _Other than him getting arrested,_ I added silently. That could easily be forgotten though.

"Uh-oh," Kitty said with a concerned expression, "Lia, you're not…like, interested in him, are you?" As soon as she said it, I scoffed. Me and Pietro? Yeah, right, like that's ever going to happen. He was cool, no mistaking that, but he and I…we weren't…I mean…I barely know the guy. Despite how much he thinks he knows me, and how much he actually got right about me, there's no way that I would consider a relationship with him.

"Of course not, Kitty," I protested, "he's just an old family friend."

"I'm not gonna judge you or anything, Lia," Kitty informed me.

"There's nothing to judge," I stated firmly and quickly finished up my math homework. When you're as smart as me, school is just for appearances and for other stuff like history and English. I've learned most of my math and science from Bruce, and it can't get any more advanced than that…unless I get sent to study with aliens next. I held my pencil up and said, "I'm not saying that a relationship with him would be _that_ bad."

"A relationship with who wouldn't be how bad?" Kurt said, appearing in the room along with a puff of nasty smoke.

"Ugh, Kurt!" Kitty exclaimed furiously.

"What?" Kurt asked confusedly as if guys could just pop into girls' rooms any time and eavesdrop on our conversations. "I just got here!"

"And now you're leaving!" Kitty snapped with wild hand motions.

"But…" Kurt started. Then my phone began ringing madly on the bedside table. I lunged for it and answered. I cast a meaningful look at Kurt and Kitty which shut them both up.

"Thalia here," I answered after the fifth ring. I hadn't bothered to check the caller ID.

"Why didn't you pick up?" Roy asked without a moment's hesitation. Awesome. Now I had to deal with Speedy.

"I just did," I pointed out confusedly. Then I understood and mentally groaned to myself. He must've called earlier.

"I called you around three thirty," Roy answered. He sounded as tense as ever.

"I was preoccupied," I explained apologetically. Roy Harper is Green Arrow's protégé and a master archer. He trained along with Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, and myself. We were pretty close, despite his seriousness and my somewhat aloof behavior. "It wasn't important was it?" I glanced at Kitty and Kurt. Kitty pointed at the door with a questioning expression. I nodded gratefully. She pulled Kurt by the arm and phased through the wall.

"I wanted to know if you want to suit up and patrol with me on Saturday," Roy answered. "You're not busy then, are you?"

"Bats and Robin didn't tell you?" I asked in surprise. I scrawled down a couple notes. Of course they would just conveniently leave out the fact that I would be off duty.

"Tell me what?" Roy asked suspiciously. Quite possibly preparing for me to tell him that I had switched sides or something.

"I'm not training until further notice," I explained. "I'm in Bayville right now…"

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Roy demanded before I could finish.

"Hey! If you want me to tell you what's going on, shut up and let me finish," I snapped irritably. Roy mumbled something that I take to be an apology. "Bruce wants me to train my powers more," I continued, "the people here…they're going to help me."

"What was wrong with the training you had with Kaldur?" Roy asked.

"Nothing," I told him, "I just need professional training. Everything's great here, Roy, I like it."

"Opposed to…?" Roy asked meaningfully. I sighed tiredly, we've been over this at least over a hundred times already. Well, not _this_ exactly, but what it was leading up to.

"I didn't mean it like that," I protested angrily, "dammit, why do you have to twist everything I say?" Then I realized that I was just setting the stage for another argument with him. We've been arguing like this for months. Only, we usually ended up getting put on time out by Ollie and Bruce. "Look," I tried again, "can we not fight right now? I'm doing homework, and I don't know when training starts."

"Fine," Roy agreed easily. "So…is everything okay? With your powers?" He sounded concerned, which was a side to Roy he rarely showed. Speedy was always focused on the mission and always aimed for success. Mostly, we saw the business-like side of Roy's personality. I have to admit, I was touched.

"My powers are fine," I smiled, remembering my little prank with Pietro, "my mom's just worried that the mutation might develop further. I'm just glad that I got sent here instead of Crown Point."

There was a knock at my door, "Thalia! C'mon, Logan wants us in the Danger Room for training." Evan shouted, and I heard footsteps as he ran down the hall. I closed my Social Studies book, I guess I'll just study later then.

"Who was that?" Roy asked.

"One of my housemates," I replied and finished the note I had been making. "Roy, I gotta go. Can I text you later?"

"Sure. Bye, Lia," he said and hung up. I sighed and left my phone on the bed when I ran down to the foyer confusedly. I caught sight of Ms. Monroe and called her name.

"Thalia, shouldn't you be with the others downstairs?" Ms. Monroe asked me.

I laughed embarrassedly, "About that…I, uh…don't know how to get there."

"Ah," Ms. Monroe said in understanding and motioned for me to follow her. "I'll tell Charles to have one of the students give you a proper tour of the Institute."

"Thank you," I replied. I really needed someone to show me around, because I'm going to get completely lost sooner or later. Scoping it out is definitely a possibility, but that would just waste my time. Ms. Monroe led me to an cylindrical elevator, and I watched the screen show us moving deep underground.

"The others should be waiting in the hall," Ms. Monroe informed me, "first turn to your right and then the second to your left."

The elevator stopped, and the door opened. I ran out, "Thank you, Ms. Monroe!"

"You're welcome," she called back to me, but I was already turning the corner. I followed her directions and found Kitty, Kurt, and Rogue in the hallway waiting for me. Kitty wore a black and lilac full body suit with yellow gloves and lilac boots. She wore a yellow belt with a red circle buckle donning a black X. Kurt wore a black body suit with the red and black shirt, yellow gloves, red boots, and a belt similar to Kitty's but with a square shaped buckle. Rogue's body suit was black with a green breast plate, red shields on the shoulders with an X on each of them, and a belt like Kurt's

"Ready to see your new uniform?" Kitty asked.

"'Cause we wanna see it," Rogue told me. I looked at the row of lockers. They were the same in size as the uniform cases in the Batcave, but these were made of steel. I walked in front of them and stopped when I saw my name on the small silver plate. I opened the door to it and saw my suit hanging there. It was black with a blue X across the torso, blue boots complete with shin guards, and a belt like Kitty's with twelve capsules all around it. I took the outfit off the hook and walked into the locker room. I pulled the new uniform over my tank top and underwear. It fit perfectly and complimented my muscular figure and subtle curves. I clicked the new belt loosely on my hips and walked out.

"Cute!" Kitty exclaimed when she saw me.

"Looks good," Rogue agreed. I pulled on the boots and gloves on to complete the outfit. Not bad, but...probably not as well equipped as my Blackstar uniform.

"Okay, come on," Kurt urged. "Logan's not going to be happy we're late." I just followed them as they started running down the halls. When we came to the need of the hall, the doors slid open automatically, revealing a large room constructed completely out of steel. The other Mutants were already dressed up and waiting for us. Scott's outfit was very much like mine, except that he had the shoulder ornaments, knee pads, and a visor. Jean wore the outfit she used when Professor X visited me at the Manor. Evan's uniform was basically the same as Rogue's, but with yellow boots and longer fingerless gloves and without the breastplate. Logan's uniform was black with orange armor over his torso, a mask concealing the upper part of his face, an orange belt, orange boots, and orange and black gloves.

"Okay, kid," Logan's voice was deep and bordered on a growl, "I'm in charge of training today. You're all going to try to survive the Danger Room. Your objective is to race the others from this side of the room, to the other." _Doesn't sound that hard,_ I thought. "Use any means to get ahead, and avoid getting hit by the obstacles."

"I can just teleport over there," Kurt said happily.

"Hold your horses, Blue," Logan said, "you gotta run. That means no teleporting across, no levitating, and no ridin'." There was a collective groan from Evan and Kurt.

Well, this seemed as good a time to point something out to Logan. I raised my hand hesitantly; hey, can't blame me for not knowing how Mutant school works. The teacher looked at me, and I took that as a sign to go on, "I can't use my powers unless I have a water source."

"That won't be a problem," Professor Xavier rolled into the room. He held out a pair of long blue gloves with a boxish shape on the top and a larger one on the underside. In his other hand, Professor X held two yellow cuff bracelets with capsules similar to the ones on my belt. When I took the gloves, I found them to be heavy. Then I slid on the bracelets.

"Jeez, Professor," I said as I weighed the additions to my uniform, "not that I don't appreciate some weight lifting here and there…"

"The gloves have two compartments filled with water. Which you can use whenever you please. The gloves are designed to contain the water without any chance of spilling or waste, and they will open on your command. Each of the capsules also contains a smaller amount of water. You will find that your belt also has these water capsules." I extended my arm and observed the new equipment carefully. The containers seemed to be made of some sort of padded metal, and I could sense the water sloshing around in there. The capsules were made of a weaker metal and could break easily, but I think that was the point. Each capsule was completely filled with water.

"I'm impressed," I said to the professor as I clenched and unclenched my fist. "How do I get the compartments to open?"

"There is a switch inside. You simply direct the water with enough force to turn the switch," Professor Xavier explained. I tried it out. He was right, there was a knob inside the containers and it would need me to hook the water around, solidify it, and turn the knob. That way, the water wouldn't accidentally spill out unwanted. I turned the knobs and the water poured out, there was enough water for me to make use of.

"Cool," I commented as the water floated around me in a swirl. I returned the water to the containers.

"Alright," Logan said, "let's start." He and Professor X left the Danger Room to start the simulation. We took our places at one side of the room. When Logan gave us the signal to go, everyone took off.

I ran neck in neck with Jean and Rogue. Then two lasers started to fire beams at us. Jean created an invisible force field to protect herself. Lucky telekinetic. I fired two capsules at the machines, using the water to turn them into mini torpedoes. I heard a satisfying explosion as my capsules took down one of the lasers.

"You're pretty good at this," Rogue commented as I front tucked over huge circular saw blades. I've been in worse situations that a couple of obstacle courses. I fired two capsules at an electrically charged tentacle that came out of the wall.

Kurt then popped up next to me, grabbed my shoulders, and teleported me back to the start, he then teleported back and shouted, "Sorry, Lia, but all's fair!"

I smirked and decided to make use of all that condition Batman put me through. I jumped up, grabbed a tentacle, and swung off it to get above the rest of my teammates. I wasn't technically flying, just making use of my surroundings. No rules being broken. Kitty was lagging behind, and she just phased through the walls that grew from the floor. I grabbed onto the top of the wall on my descent, and climbed over it. Then I jumped over the third one. I levitated a capsule in front of me and focused it on Kurt, who was now teleporting everyone back and forth. The torpedo shot out, and I had the water in it harden to inflict more damage. It hit Kurt right in the back and made him fall off the wall.

"Heey!" he complained as he teleported in front of me before splatting on the floor.

I shrugged and kept running, "Sorry, pal, all's fair!" I was in third. Scott was in first, and Jean was in second. I decided that the easiest way to do this is to take Scott down first. I fired a torpedo at Scott, and he just turned, adjusted the knob on his visor, and a beam of red and white blew up the capsule. I smirked, because as soon as that one blew, I had released a glob of water from my left glove. The water attacked him from behind and slammed him face first against the wall. I changed the physical form of the water so that it was sticky and kept him to the wall.

"Nice one, Lia!" Evan called from behind me. I turned and saw him fire bony spikes at me from his forearm. I dodged all of them without missing a beat. Then I caught the last one and threw it back at him. Evan yelped and ducked. Now, I was neck and neck with Jean. I slowly started to rise from the ground, and my movement became restrained. Jean was using her telekinesis on me. Unfortunately for her, she had to stop running in order to keep me up in the air. From an aerial view, I was able to see that Evan was gaining on us, but Kurt teleported him back a few yards. Kitty phased Rogue halfway into the floor and was catching up.

The average teenage body is made up of maybe 45 to 59 percent water, maybe 70 to 71 for athletes or, in this case, Mutants with advanced training. I also have the ability to focus on the water inside humans and control that. I did just that with Jean. Slowly, she was raised off the ground and up to eye level with me. I could feel myself slowly being let down as she struggled to maintain her powers while I simply manipulated her body. "You see, Jean," I said in a nasty tone, "I don't know if you realize this yet, but anything you throw at me, I will catch it and get you back."

"Whoa," I heard Kurt say when he saw Jean fighting for control of her body. Jean was no longer controlling me, but I was the one who had her under my power. One of the upsides of having greater control of my powers is that I can maintain them while doing something else. I kept Jean in place and ran. Evan had already crossed the finish line, but I made second. I liquefied the jelly that kept Scott in place, and he fell onto the floor. The water floated back into the glove and I heard the container click shut. Everyone except Rogue finished the course.

"That was so unfair," Rogue said as Kitty helped her up. Evan had explained Rogue's powers to me, and I felt bad for her. Being unable to touch another person for fear of absorbing their memories, thoughts, strengths, and weaknesses is something I would never wish upon my worst enemy.

"You did well," Professor Xavier complimented as he and Logan reentered the Danger Room.

"Where'd you learn those moves, kid?" Logan asked me suspiciously.

I very well couldn't tell him that I learned them from Batman directly…but… "I looked to some higher ups when my powers first appeared. They helped me." It was the truth. I'm not lying in any way; I'm just not telling them the full truth. Professor Xavier didn't look very surprised. Hey, I'm from Gotham, we're criminal central. A Mutant like me is bound to run into someone with exceptional skills sooner or later.

"I see," Professor Xavier nodded in understanding. I waited for the feeling of someone probing my mind to set in, but it never came.

"Wow, Jean," Rogue said smugly, "she sure showed you. That was awesome, Lia." Jean crossed her arms and glared at Rogue.

I felt my chest swell with pride at the onslaught of compliments from the rest of the X-Men. "Thalia," Professor Xavier said, the other students stopped talking and all eyes turned to him, "I think it's time you formally met the X-Men. Thalia Wayne, meet Cyclops, Jean Grey, Nightcrawler, Rogue, Shadowcat, Spyke, and Wolverine. X-Men, meet Flashflood."


	3. Chapter 3

After the Danger Room session, I changed into my normal clothes and put my uniform back into the locker. I have to say, I definitely like this new alias. Flashflood. Had a ring to it. Although, not having a mask to go with the uniform had me feeling a little bit uncomfortable.

"That was so sweet, man," Evan said and high-fived me as we all walked into the elevator.

"Yeah, and I can't believe you could, like, break free of Jean like that!" Kitty exclaimed.

"You're probably good enough to be a part of the Justice League," Evan added

"It's nothing," I shrugged modestly. I've been trained _by_ Leaguers, but _being _a Leaguer is something I want more than anything. It's what all us sidekicks want.

"Nothing?" Kurt gasped in surprise, "Dude, nobody here except Rogue's been able to take Jean down in training.

"Yeah," Kitty agreed, "that's, like, totally impressive." I blushed at the compliment of my new teammate. I guess their powers didn't give them the same kind of defense against telekinesis as mine did. Although, I probably wouldn't be able to use that technique on a more powerful psychic. When the elevator opened, we walked out. Everyone moved as a group towards the kitchen, but I headed for the stairs leading to the girls' wing.

"Coming, Lia?" Evan asked as he saw me going up to the rooms.

"I'm just going to get my phone first," I told him and ran for it. I opened my door and scooped up my phone before hurriedly returning downstairs. I scrolled through my missed calls. Nine from Mia, two from Mom, and one from Roy. I called Mia, and she answered on the first ring. "Hey, Mia, it's me," I greeted.

"Thalia Evangeline Wayne, where the hell have you been?" Mia demanded. I rubbed my temples. Why doesn't anyone tell my friends that I'm no longer in Gotham? I mean, I'm sure Bruce could've told them or something.

"Bayville, New York," I replied.

She was quiet for a couple seconds, and then she nearly blew out my eardrums, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN BAYVILLE?"

"I transferred," I told her. "Bruce has an associate here, and I'm endorsing." That's the story I'm supposed to feed to non-Leaguers to keep my Mutation a secret. It's believable, considering the lengths I go to in order to keep Wayne Enterprises looking good.

"That's so unfair!" Mia complained, "I can't believe you!"

"I'm going to visit," I promised her. Mia has been my best friend ever since I moved to Gotham, and we've always had each other's back. Not having her with my at Bayville High is probably the worst part of transferring.

"That's not the same."

"I know, but it's the best I can go for," I sighed disappointedly. I know that I'm still going to have to make appearances once in a while, but definitely not as often as I used to. I'm going to have to take advantage of any free time I have in Gotham and hang out with Mia then.

"Wait, are you going to school there now?" Mia asked.

"Mhmm," I replied.

"Have you found any cute guys?" she asked slyly. I laughed. Mia was always looking out for the best looking guys. She was constantly rating boys with me during trips to the mall and lunch.

"Oh my gosh, Mia! Don't you think about anything else?"

Mia laughed, "Of course. Right now I'm whipping up revenge plots for Roy…speaking of which, does he have a car?"

I sighed, "Mia, leave him alone. Okay, I'm starving, can I text you later?" I seem to be blowing my friends off today, eh... Mia's gonna forgive me eventually, Roy might not.

"Sure thing, Lia," Mia said, "but we are sooo not done with this conversation."

"Whatever you say," I laughed and hung up. When I walked into the kitchen, everyone had started eating. I sat between Kurt and Kitty.

"I'm totally jealous, Lia," Kitty said as she reached for a roll.

"Yeah, those moves were way too good for a new Mutant," Logan said suspiciously.

"I bet it was the Justice League! Do you have Superman on speed dial or something?" Kurt asked. I almost spit out my drink. _Speed dial four,_ I thought to myself. Slightly embarrassed that most of my speed dial was the League. One was Bruce; two being Dick; three was claimed by Speedy; Superman was on speed dial four; Wally speed dial five; the only non-Leaguer was Mia on six.

"Nah," I lied and scooped some spaghetti onto my plate. "That would be pretty awesome though."

"So, Thalia," Jean said in a light conversational tone, "how was your first day of school?" You have no idea how grateful I am for that change of subject.

"Pretty easy," I admitted. Despite being inserted into classes at the end of the year, I was able to pick up quickly on everything being taught. That doesn't make the classes any more interesting, though.

"You didn't have any trouble with the other students?" Ms. Monroe asked.

"There were a few kids who kept bugging me, but it's nothing I can't deal with," I replied. I had been invited to a total of sixteen parties, given nineteen after school club fliers, and asked out at least twelve times. Of course, none of those kids were interested in me. They wanted a quick way into the high society life and the privileges that came with it.

"Are you sure?" Scott asked, "If you need anything, just let us know. We'll take care of it for you."

I bristled at this. Did he think that I couldn't take care of myself? I'm perfectly capable of dealing with a couple of human teenagers from Bayville. "I don't need anyone to take care of anything for me," I snapped.

"I didn't mean that…" Scott started to protest when Jean shot him a meaningful look, and he shut up. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and quickly looked at the caller ID. Pietro Maximoff. My first thought was wondering how he got my number. My second thought was wondering when he programmed his number into my phone, but I was smiling as I saw the name appear on the screen. Kitty glanced at the phone, and then nudged me with her elbow.

I quickly finished my dinner and thanked them for being so kind to me over my first couple days at the Institute. Then I washed my dishes and hurried to my room. I didn't stress over the rest of my homework and finished it in a few minutes. I also took the liberty of quickly going over the last couple chapters just so that I know what they had learned.

Anyway, after all that fun homework stuff. I called Dick, who was hopefully at home and not in the middle of a huge fight with some metahuman. "Hello?" Dick answered with a yawn.

"Hey," I greeted, "what's up?"

"Just finished some training, how about you?" he responded.

"Homework," I replied with the homework-sucks voice that was especially reserved for my most hated subjects. Namely, social studies. "How'd it go with Joker the other day?"

"Not good," Dick replied, "Batman's on a rampage 'cause of it. A kid almost got caught in the crossfire, and the clown got away."

"You'll get him," I assured my friend. "So…wanna tell me why Roy didn't know that I'm in Bayville?" Yeah, Dick does _not_ get off the hook for this. I would call Bruce, but I know that would just be completely pointless.

"Oh…yeah, about that… Wally and I were thinking…" Like that ever ends well! Wally doesn't think! Unless it's got something to do with a chemistry lab. I held back any snappy comments, I would definitely use them later, and let Dick continue. "Maybe it would be best if you explained to Speedy yourself."

I sighed heavily. _Why do my friends see the need to control my nonexistent relationship with Roy?_ I wondered to myself. Seriously, Robin and KF were not so subtly making us spend time alone together, and Mia was trying to convince me that I had to hate him because of our slightly dysfunctional friendship. I don't get it. There's no problem, just a couple…disagreements here and there. It's nothing for them to get worked up about. "Dick, I swear, you are _sooo_ lucky I'm in Bayville…or else you'd be a freaking pin cushion!" I exclaimed in outrage.

"Take it easy, Lia. We're just trying to help you guys," Dick said calmly. Unlike Batman and Robin, I find it slightly more difficult to manage my anger. I can keep a cool head during most situations, sure, but there are some topics that straight up make me want to punch a wall.

"Dick, what are you talking about? There's nothing to help. Roy and I are fine," I assured him. We really were working things out. He and I happen to be maintaining a healthy, _friendly_ relationship, nothing more and nothing less.

"You are soo in nial," Dick said playfully. I rolled my eyes at his habit of removing prefixes from words. That's not even a word! Dick's like a little brother to me, and I enjoy his company and assistance during missions.

"I am not!" I denied.

"Is that Lia?" I heard Wally in the background. Why is it I can't have a simple conversation with someone without a third party present?

"Hey, Wally," I greeted and added, "I'm pissed at you too, man."

"What'd I do?" Wally asked in confusion. There was a pause as Dick explained the source of my possibly misdirected anger. "What? No, it's not like that! We just thought that maybe you'd want to be the one to explain to him about transferring."

"Why on earth would I want to do that?" I snapped. Dealing with Roy is probably one of the things I _don't_ want to do.

"Robin, this one's all on you, bro," Wally said, and I heard the door slam a second after. I guess he didn't want to be in the room while I went off on Robin.

"What's your excuse for not telling Mia?" I demanded. Mia went to school with us at the Academy; Dick totally could've told her about my transfer in the halls or something. Seventh graders are in a different part of the school, but still. I'm sure Mia would've cornered him after school or something.

"She asks too many questions," Dick replied flippantly. True enough. Mia would definitely make someone uncomfortable the way she gets up into your face during her inquisitions. "Anyway," Dick drew out the word, "how's life at the Institute?"

"It's not that bad," I admitted. I'm actually adjusting quite nicely given the circumstances under which I was brought to the Institute in the first place. "The kids here are totally cool, but there's a telepath here," I thought of my first encounter with Jean's telepathy.

"And?" Dick encouraged me to continue.

"She was going through my mind," I heard the disgust in my voice. I felt somewhat guilty because Jean seemed like a good person, but I don't trust her after that little invasion of privacy.

"Poor girl," Dick commented appropriately, "what'd you show her?"

"A Cadmus experiment gone wrong," I replied. That memory, the one I showed Jean, had given me nightmares for months. It was back when I first started out with Batman, and my first mission with the League. We infiltrated Cadmus, and I hacked the computers…it ended badly. Over time, I've adjusted and become less horrified by the inhumane experiments I've encountered. "I don't like telepath's, Dick," I said softly and wrapped my arms around my legs.

"I know," Dick responded gently, "but you know how to keep them out of your head." True, but that doesn't stop them from prying. Secrets are meant to stay secret. "Wally, what are you…? Dude, not cool!" Dick sighed, "I have to go. Wally's raiding the kitchen, and Alfred doesn't like it."

I laughed at the picture that popped into my head. Kid Flash in his civilian clothing, running about the Manor with a huge pile of food in his arms. "Sure thing, Dick. G'night." I decided to take a shower to get off the nasty gunk from training. After the shower, I changed into an oversized Gotham Academy T-shirt and a pair of cotton shorts. Then I reached for my phone and dialed Roy.

He answered immediately, "Hello?"

"Hey," I greeted him, but it sounded like I was forcing myself to talk. I face-palmed and dragged my hand down at my own stupidity. I could at least be polite.

"You okay?" Roy asked.

"Mhmm, just a little bit sleepy. Sorry," I settled back against the pillows and started playing with the water from my lunch water bottle. I levitated the bottle from my purse to the bed and unscrewed it. The water levitated out and morphed shape.

"Training?" Roy guessed.

"It's not as bad as training with Batman. What's up?"

"Cleaning my bow," he replied. No surprise there. Roy was always doing something like that. Either working out, training, or cleaning his equipment. "How about you?"

"Just…messing around," I replied and stuck my tongue out in frustration as I tried to make a detailed water replica of the Starcycle.

"Try not to break anything," Roy advised. I rolled my eyes. I was training at Roy's one time and accidentally broke a window. He's never going to let me live that down.

"I'm getting better," I reminded him. I've been training for months with these powers, and I almost had them completely under my command.

"I'm just saying. Mia called the other day," Roy said in a casual tone.

"Oh, God, what did she say?" I asked ready to face complete humiliation.

"I don't think I should repeat it," I could hear the consideration in his voice.

"Whatever it was, I swear, I had nothing to do with it," I quickly informed him. I am officially starting a hit list, with Dick at the top followed by Mia.

Roy chuckled, and you can imagine my surprise. Roy is snappy, and arrogant, and serious. He always managed to surprise me. "Can you please try to not sound so guilty?"

"I do _not _sound guilty. Harper, you need to work on your listening skills."

"Oh please," Roy countered playfully, "you sound guilty enough for me to cuff you and throw you into Belle Reve."

I laughed at his banter, "You wouldn't be able to touch me."

"Hey, who's Speedy here? You or me?" Eh, good point. Sometimes I wish that I had a better alias. Blackstar just…doesn't really give me an edge when Roy and I started joking back and forth like this.

"Who's the better fighter here?" I countered. Roy's much taller and more muscular than me, but I'm not exactly helpless. I can hold my own against Batman.

"Me," Roy replied confidently.

I scoffed, "Yeah, right! I'm the one who had to save your ass when Brick was about to smash your face in."

"And we all know how much you care about my face," Roy mocked. You see? This is the point where our harmless joking becomes a little competitive, personal, and occasionally, violent.

"Little to nothing?" I asked with a sugar sweet tone.

"Cute," Roy said sarcastically.

"Flattered," I retorted. If I was in Star City right around now, he would totally be getting a stariken to the knee. Roy didn't return a snappy comeback. "Is something wrong?" I asked worriedly. Hey, he might be an arrogant jerk sometimes, but he's still my friend.

"A break in," Roy said, his voice becoming completely serious, "at the Star City World History Museum."

I sighed, "Okay, Harper, go on. I know you want to take this."

"You sure?" Roy asked.

"I'm sure," I assured him. We're superheroes. We have to be ready to go whenever duty calls, no matter big or small. "I'll talk to you later."

"Bye, Lia," Roy said, and I could hear movement on the other line.

"Later," I replied and hung up. I plugged my phone into its charger and turned the lamp off. I started to drift off as I stared up at the ceiling and let sleep take over. It was like sleeping on clouds, soft and fluffy. Later, much, much, later, I heard a wild buzzing from the side of my bed. I buried my head under the pillows, but that didn't make the buzzing _stop._ I'm a night person, really, I am…I just don't like to be woken up from a good night's sleep. So…I reached for the phone…and chucked it across the room. Unfortunately for me, that phone? Practically indestructible. I got up, turned the lamp on at the dimmest setting, and walked to retrieve the phone. I rubbed my eyes and glanced at the digital clock. "It is five o'clock in the morning," I hissed into the phone, "what the _hell_ could you possibly want at five o'freaking-clock in the _morning._"

"Well, good morning to you too, Angel," I could practically hear the smirk on his face.

"My God, Maximoff," I grumbled and got back into bed, "I'm going back to sleep."

"Wait-wait-wait," Pietro said in a rush, "how-bout-you-let-me-pick-you-up-this-mornin'? It'll-be-so-much-more-fun-than-ridin'-with-the-X-losers." Okay, I've been trained to be able to deflect a batarang while half-asleep within seconds. It took me _minutes_ to sort out what the boy was saying in my groggy state.

"You called at five in the morning to ask me if you could drive me to school?" I asked skeptically. Who does that?

"Who-said-anything-about-school?" Pietro asked. God, this boy is trouble. Although, I couldn't quite stop the grin the was sneaking onto my face. "So, what-do-ya-say?" He sounded confident, as if I'd like nothing more than to skip class on my second day at a brand new school with the Wayne family name on my shoulders…uh, no.

"I say shut up and let me go back to sleep," I replied and hung up without another word. I gotta admit, the idea of skipping with Pietro actually kept me up. I would definitely enjoy bailing freshman classes for the day, but that's not what I'm in Bayville for. Plus, if Mom got a call from Professor X saying that I ditched? Well, I'd be packed up and sent back to the lab in Crown Point.

I stared at the ceiling and tried to fall asleep again to no avail. Pietro had left me wide awake, so I did the only thing I could do. I got up and changed for school. I could probably do something before school started in three hours too. And by 'something' I mean suiting up and running a quick patrol. Since there's no way that I could get my uniform from downstairs without drawing attention, I just decided on basic black jeans, black tank top, dark purple V-neck, and a black jacket. I buckled my ever present utility belt and put on a pair of dark shades.

I had noticed cameras positioned all around the Institute which would make it difficult for me to sneak out without being caught. Haha, I'm Blackstar, _Batman's_ cousin, no problem at all. I left my room with my backpack and headed for the only computer I've seen the whole time I've been in the Institute. Downstairs in the library.

I didn't see or hear any voices or footsteps, so I went ahead cautiously. I paused every time I got near a doorway, and it seemed to me that nobody was up. I mentally punched the air in victory when I made it to the library. I took out a USB chord and my cell phone. Thanks to a little bit of tweaking, I could use my cell phone to hack any, correction, _every_, computer in the world.

_Dammit,_ I thought as I hit firewall after firewall. Everything was so much more complex than I had first assumed. I mentally slapped myself for underestimating Charles Xavier. Professor X may be one of the greatest minds on the planet, but I'm no novice computer technician. _C'mon, come _on, I chanted as two out of five stars on my phone screen turned green. _YES!_ I smirked as I got in. I reprogrammed the security system to shut down for a total of two minutes. I unplugged my cell phone and shut down the computer.

Since I planned on heading straight to school, I grabbed an apple for breakfast. I stealthily got out of the Institute building without a sound and ran across the property in a minute and fifteen seconds. When I got to the huge gates that separated the Institute from the rest of Bayville, I levitated myself over it. Haha, I love hydrokinesis. As soon as I got over the fence, I made a run for it. I climbed onto the roof of a house and traveled from roof to roof, staying out of sight and quieter than a mouse.

Bayville isn't exactly known for its vigilante activity, so I kept things low key. There wasn't much activity going on early in the morning, but I needed to do the run out of habit. I sat against the chimney of a house as the sun came up. I got a call from Kitty around six thirty, "Hey, Kitty. What's up?"

"Where are you?" Kitty demanded in a panicked voice, "We're, like, tearing the Institute apart looking for you!"

"Oh," I went for surprise, because that would get me into the least trouble, "I forgot to leave a note! I'm sorry. I thought that I'd go for an early morning walk and meet up with you guys at school."

"You're okay though, right?" Kitty fretted. Everyone in the Institute was probably standing around waiting for me to say that the Brotherhood had kidnapped me or something.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Sorry to worry everyone," I really feel sorta bad for getting them worked up. I'm just so used to leaving the Batcave without telling anyone. Besides, I didn't really think that anyone would assume that something bad had happened.

"She says she's fine," Kitty relayed to the rest of the team. There were voices on the other line and then Kitty asked, "How'd you get past the system?"

Yeah…I didn't think this through, did I? "Uh…I hacked the security system…" it wouldn't be that suspicious, would it? I could lead them to believe that someone in Wayne Tech taught me, right?

"She did what?" Kurt exclaimed very, very loudly.

"Whoa," Kitty said in awe.

"Give me the phone, Kitty," Scott said. There was a pause as Kitty handed the phone to Scott. When he spoke again, his voice was clear and frustrated, "Thalia, you can't just sneak out without telling anyone. It's not safe. You can get seriously hurt or something could happen with your powers and we wouldn't be there to help you."

"I don't need a babysitter," I replied defensively.

"We're just looking out for you," Scott argued. "We weren't going to tell you this so soon, but…there's someone who's going to try to get you to join her side, and she's not going to give you the choice." Someone else recruiting Mutants? That explains the Brotherhood, I suppose.

"Okay," I said resignedly, "I'll just head to the school and meet you guys there." I should try to work with these guys, not against them. I don't know anything about this person anyway; it would be best if I just watched and learned instead of take command like I usually do.

"Sure thing," Kitty said, back in possession of the phone, "see ya!"

"Bye," I replied and they hung up. Third day at Bayville? Not off to a good start. I made my way to the school and put my belt into the concealed pocket within my jacket. First thing Batman teaches, don't go anywhere without your utility belt. Hell, in Gotham I've slept with it under my pillow.

I walked onto the front steps and waited for kids to start driving up. I was the first student there, an hour early. Students walked past me, most of them were coming towards me, but veered away when I glared at them. After my first day at Bayville High, I don't think that I really want to start making "friends". I saw Duncan Matthews drive up with Jean in a trashed blue convertible. A good car, if you ignore the nasty dents and grime, but not as hott as Scott's.

"Thalia!" Jean exclaimed and waved at me as she got out of Duncan's car.

"Hey," I waved back and put my backpack on my lap as she sat next to me.

"Are you okay?" Jean asked, "I'm sorry that I haven't made you feel very…welcome. It's just…when the other students start using their powers for jokes like that, I worry that they might lose control." She pushed a stray lock of red hair behind her ear and looked at her hands folded on her lap. She doesn't seem like a _bad _person.

"I'm sorry, too," I said and offered a shy smile, "I may have overreacted when you went through my head." Rightfully so, but still. Jean really struck me as the big-sister type, but that doesn't mean that I want to get close to her. I still don't trust her for that, and I'm not going to make an effort to be her friend at school. Those popular girl types really aren't the kind of people I hang out with. Even though I come from a wealthy family, I never stuck to the popular crowd at school.

"That was my fault," Jean said guiltily, "I shouldn't have done that." Her face scrunched up as she remembered the vision I showed her. I whipped up a quick lie before she could even ask the question. "What was that? The…boy?" Jean asked haltingly. I can't blame her for wondering exactly what the vision was.

"It was just a scene from a movie," I replied. "Scared the hell outta me, and I figured that it would help me find who was going through my head." Focusing on anything would keep weaker telepaths out of anything personal, but scaring the intruder half to death is much more effective.

"It was so…vivid," Jean shuddered.

"It was a good movie," I shrugged and rose to my feet as I saw the rest of the X-Men pulling up. Kitty linked her arm with mine, and we walked into the school together. I also noticed the Brotherhood lurking in their usual shadow. Pietro winked when he saw me; I rolled my eyes and smiled back. "How mad is the Professor?" I asked Kitty while I took my books out of my locker and left my purse in there.

"Not mad at all," Kitty said, surprising me. I expected him to be furious with me for hacking the security system and then sneaking out without any notice. "He was actually really impressed." I sagged in relief, no more sneaking out without at least telling Kitty or Rogue.

"I probably shouldn't do that again," I said nodding to myself.

Kitty covered her mouth with her hand as she laughed, "No kidding? Like, here comes trouble." I followed the trail of her gaze and found Pietro sauntering towards us with his hands behind his back. There was an infuriatingly cocky grin on his face.

"Try not to say anything," I advised her as Pietro closed the distance between him and us within seconds. I guess the Brotherhood doesn't care about using their powers in public. Not exactly subtle. Even I wouldn't do something that obvious.

"Hey, Angel, sleep well?" He leaned casually against the lockers and held out a deep red rose. I bet he probably snagged it from some innocent on the way here.

I rolled my eyes, "I _did_, and then somebody woke me up at five this morning."

"Such a shame, I bet you're nasty in the morning," Pietro's grin widened and he glanced at Kitty over my shoulder. "Hey, Kitty."

Kitty just scoffed, "I'll see you later, Lia." The look she gave me warned me to be careful, and then she glared spitefully at Pietro before spinning around and striding away.

"Me-ow," Pietro said playfully.

"I thought you were ditching," I closed the locker door and raised an eyebrow at him questioningly.

"Eh, I considered it," Pietro shrugged, "then I decided that I might as well show up to see my Angel."

"_Your_ Angel?" I crossed my arms and stared him down.

"Technicality," Pietro waved it off and walked with me to homeroom. "Did you see Matthews's car?" There was a look on his face that I didn't like. Oh, God. He trashed Duncan's car.

I sighed, no use telling him off for it. He's free to do whatever the hell he wants, and what's done is done. _I'll just put in a good word for Duncan at the local auto shop,_ I decided. "Why'd you vandalize his ride?" I asked Pietro curiously.

"The guy was getting a little bit too mouthy," Pietro replied and shrugged. "He had it coming."

"Lia!" Bianca's high pitched voice called from a few yards behind us. I stopped and turned around, against my better judgment, and she was walking towards us at a speed I thought impossible in stiletto heels. "What's up?" she asked and flipped her hair.

"Going to homeroom," I replied. Did she not get the message? I'm not interested in being one of her posse.

"Oh, that's cool," she said and her gaze slid to Pietro. Ah, now I get it. She was interested in Pietro. I guess he was right when he said that the girls wanted him. "Hey, Pietro," she said flirtatiously and sidled up to him boldly.

"Looking good today, Bianca," Pietro returned. I don't think they even noticed when I slipped away, moving with the current of the crowd. Pietro and Bianca. I could totally see it. Can't say that I _like_ the notion of it, but I could see it. _Whoa, hold up,_ I thought in confusion, _why do I care? It's not like _I _like Pietro that way._ I thought on it for a moment, searching myself for any signs of jealousy. Hmmmn…nope, nothing. I'm soooo not jealous.

I took my seat in the back of the room and joined in on a couple conversations here and there. Pietro didn't walk into the classroom at all, I guess he must've decided to ditch after all. Without him in the class, it was insanely boring. I doodled in my notebook – the symbols of the Leaguers and their sidekicks – until the bell rang and class was dismissed.

"Hey, Evan," I greeted in Social Studies.

"Lia! Dude, where were you this morning?" Evan exclaimed.

"I was just looking around town. Why is everyone so freaked out? I mean, we can go out whenever we want, right?" I thought about what it would be like if I was confined to the Institute for the rest of my life, or for however long I'm supposed to stay in Bayville.

"My thoughts exactly," Evan agreed, "they're stressin' out over nothing. Well, I was doin' this project for English and got attacked while I was out…"

_Ha, maybe Bayville isn't as safe as you think, Mom,_ I thought amusedly. "Everyone quiet down," the teacher, Mrs. Gordon, ordered as she turned the volume to the TV higher. The news was showing live footage of a fight in Star City. Bane was tearing up a street and throwing everything he could get his hands on at the police cars that were getting civilians out of the way. Bane's the guy who used Venom to increase his strength beyond that of a human. He was _built_ and taller than most men I've seen. He wore a black sleeveless muscle shirt that was tucked into gray cargos, black gloves and boots, and a white and black Lucha Libre mask. I rubbed the back of my neck, remembering my last encounter with Bane. Being thrown against a wall by a huge guy like him is not something I want to do any time soon.

Two arrows flew at him and exploded on impact with his chest. The whole class erupted into cheers as the camera zoomed in on Roy and Ollie, both of them in uniform with arrows at the ready. "Wooooo! Green Arrow's there to kick butt!" I heard someone shout over the uproar.

"Shhh," Mrs. Gordon hissed. I ignored the class and focused entirely on the GBS broadcast. Roy fired one of his explosive arrows at Bane, and it did absolutely no good. The Hispanic man rushed the two heroes with a roar. I watched on the edge of my seat as Speedy and Arrow evaded every punch Bane threw at them. They used their bows effectively in close combat, but that didn't help them much against someone with as much strength as Bane.

Green Arrow got out of Bane's range and fire a punch arrow, basically an arrow with a boxing glove – original, right? – and hit the target in the gut. It didn't do much except distract him, allowing Speedy to hit Bane in the face with his bow. Everyone in the class cheered loudly as Green Arrow seemingly finished it by firing another explosive arrow. I remained silent because I know that it couldn't be over that easily.

Bane gave a cry and picked Speedy up, raising the boy up over his head. He threw Speedy into a street light with such force that it bent to the shape of Roy's body. Then he threw Speedy at a brick wall, and I winced. He picked Speedy up again and threw him at a store; the glass shattered as Roy crashed through. I waited for him to get up and clenched my fist under the desk, _Come on, Harper. Get up._ Roy has above average endurance, just like the rest of us, but we all had our limits. Aqualad, KF, and I had higher durability and endurance than Robin and Speedy because of our superhuman abilities. Before my Mutation, I was at the peak of human endurance like Dick, but the Mutation enhanced that. Roy isn't able to endure as much as the rest of us, him mostly being a long range combatant.

Bane's shoulders shook as he laughed; the camera crew wasn't able to get close enough to hear what he was saying, but I bet that he was taunting Speedy. Ollie fired a flash arrow that created a flash of white light, forcing Bane to shield his eyes. I let out a breath I didn't realize that I had been holding when Speedy fired a foam arrow. The arrow released a red polyurethane foam that completely entrapped Bane.

"That was awesome, man!" Evan exclaimed and stood up. A couple other kids did the same as Bane was taken away, and Speedy walked out of the store. He looked completely unharmed. I sagged in relief.

"Mr. Daniels!" Mrs. Gordon scolded in her nasally voice, "Sit down!" He took the blame because he was the first one to get out of his seat. After that, everyone was pretty wound up. The guys were loud, and the fight was the topic of the day. Even after class was dismissed, the students kept talking about it.

At lunch time, I switched my books at my locker and took my phone out of my purse and called Roy. It felt like forever until he picked up. "I know what you're going to say," he said before I could even open my mouth, "so you can save the lecture."

Then I guess I don't have to yell at him for going head on with an opponent like Bane. I skipped right to the compassionate part of the conversation, "Are you okay? That looked like a nasty throw."

"Nothing an ice pack can't fix," Roy assured me. "I really wish they'd stop filming every time we do something in the morning."

I knew the feeling. It was weird to do my job in broad daylight as is, but having a camera pointed at me just made me uncomfortable. "Roy, are you sure?" I pressed, remembering the way the street light bent.

Roy chuckled, "I'm _fine,_ Lia. Don't worry about it." That would've been so much more believable if I didn't hear him hiss in pain.

"You're fine, huh?" I rolled my eyes.

"It's nothing," I could tell just by his voice that he was hiding something. That something being an injury worse than he's letting on.

"Roy Harper," I said sternly, "it is most definitely something, and I swear, you better tell me what's wrong or else I will drive to Star City myself and break both your arms." I totally would've done it too.

"Damn, you can be scary sometimes, Thalia," Roy grumbled. "It's just my knee. Going through the window screwed it up. I'm fine, though."

"You did good," I complimented my fellow protégé. "Okay, if you're absolutely sure that you're not fatally injured, I'm gonna go have lunch. Don't push yourself, Harper."

"I won't. Bye, Lia." I hung up and put my phone into my pocket. My locker door slammed shut, and Pietro was standing next to me.

"Hey, Angel, who was that?" Pietro asked nosily. With his speed, he could probably get into my backpack and take my phone before I could answer. I chose the better alternative.

"A friend from Star City," I replied.

"Your _boy_friend?" Pietro said with a gleam in his eye. Roy? My boyfriend? Naah.

"He's not my boyfriend," I informed the speedster pointedly. Maybe a little bit too sharply, because he raised an eyebrow questioningly at my aggressive response. I took a deep breath and tried again, "He's not my boyfriend."

"Great," Pietro said brightly, "so he won't mind if I take you out to ice cream later." I froze in the middle of the lunch line and turned to face Pietro in surprise. Did he just…?

"Is that your way of asking me out?" I asked with a small smile, unable to contain the giddiness I felt. My excitement surprised me.

"Depends," Pietro said as I paid for my veggie burger and soggy fries. He walked with me as I scanned the cafeteria for my friends.

"On?" I spotted them sitting together, with the exception of Jean.

"Whether that's a yes or no?" Pietro had an overconfident half-smile on his face.

I pretended to think it over before stating, "No." It's not that I'm disgusted with the idea of going out with Pietro, or that he's on the opposite side. I just don't want to get involved with someone yet, especially not someone who's always going to be hitting on other girls. "No offense, Maximoff, but I'm not really interested," I shrugged and headed for my table. Is it wrong that I feel kinda smug that I left him gaping at me? No, didn't think so.

"What was that all about?" Kitty asked me once I took my place at the table.

"Nothing," I told her. She didn't buy it, so I'd just have to tell her later at the Institute.

Later, Scott drove us all back to the Institute with the exception of Jean who rode with Duncan. Kitty pulled me up to the room with her so that I could tell her exactly what Pietro and I were talking about before lunch. "He did _what?_" Kitty exclaimed after I told her that Pietro had asked me out. She, Rogue, and I were sitting in the room doing homework.

"And what'd ya say?" Rogue asked, flipping through a Goth Teen magazine.

"I told him I wasn't interested," I replied.

"I ain't suhprised," Rogue stated and looked up from her magazine, "don't expect him to leave ya alone, Lia."

"Yeah," Kitty agreed, "he's probably going to keep bugging you until you say yes. Like, don't fall for it. He's dated just about every girl in this school."

"No offense, Lia," Rogue said, and I instantly expected to be offended, "but he's probably just asking you out 'cause you're rich."

I've been asked out before because of my connections, and I can tell the difference between a guy who's serious, and a guy who's not. "I don't think he's asking me out because Bruce is a millionaire," notice how I said that _Bruce _is the one who's a millionaire. "I said no because I'm probably just another girl on his list of girls to date."

"Does he know that?" Kitty asked as she put her books into her backpack.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he thinks she's just playing hard to get," Rogue commented. That ego-maniac is probably thinking just that. I finished up my English assignment and put my things away. I turned in the chair to face the other girls.

"He's gonna forget about it eventually," I told them and shrugged.

"I'm not so sure," Rogue said skeptically.

"He's been really interested in you, Lia," Kitty added. _Only because our parents worked together,_ I thought. Pietro was probably my only friend at Bayville who wasn't living with me at the Institute, and he's the only person in Bayville who knew me before I took my place as a Wayne Enterprises executive.

Rogue put her magazine down and stretched, "C'mon y'all, we've got combat training with Logan." Kitty groaned, and I brightened at the word combat. Are heroes supposed to enjoy fighting? Eh, it doesn't matter. As long as I take down the baddies and nobody gets hurt.

We walked down to the basement and changed into our uniforms. I seriously feel naked without a mask. Combat training was done outside in the courtyard under Logan's met the others outside and waited for Kurt to pop in, three minutes late. "You're late," Logan growled.

"Sorry," Kurt said apologetically.

"Okay, you each get ten minutes to take down your opponent. Cyclops, Rogue, show the new girl how it's done," Logan grunted to the two older Mutants.

"Actually," I interrupted as the two of them took half-steps forward, "mind if I take this one, Rogue?"

"Lia, you don't want to do that," Kitty whispered to me.

"Your funeral," Rogue shrugged and let me take her place against Scott. What can I say? I'm soo ready to throw a couple punches.

"You sure you want to do this?" Cyclops asked me as I faced him.

"First move to you," I gave him my most challenging grin. Then he swung at me with his right fist. I bent backward slightly to avoid the punch, and much to Cyclops's surprise, I grabbed his wrist and twisted it behind his back.

"Keep your guard up, Summers," Logan gave his constructive criticism. I let Scott go and went at him. When he prepared to defend from the front, I eased behind him and swept a kick to his side. I probably could've held back, and that probably would've been a good idea. He ended up flying into a tree.

"Whoa," Kurt said in awe.

"That all you got?" I asked disappointedly, "I was under the impression that you're the best fighter here."

Scott got back on his feet, "I was just going easy on you." Then he ran at me, and I ran at him and anticipated his next move. When he dropped and slid on the recently watered grass, I was ready. I easily jumped and tucked over him, on guard in case he would use those laser eyes of his would be put to use. I landed gracefully on my feet. Scott swept his leg around to knock my feet out, but I just leapt out of the way. When he got up, I was immediately in front of him. I kneed him in the stomach and punched him.

"Okay, that's enough," Logan said in his deep rough voice.

"It hasn't been ten minutes yet, has it?" Scott asked and sat up.

"No, but it's obvious that the girl's got you beat," he told Cyclops. I extended my hand to Scott, and my defeated opponent put his hand in mine. I helped pull him to his feet

"Good job," I said to him.

"You too," Scott wrapped his arm around his stomach.

"Where'd you learn to fight like that?" Logan asked me with surprise. Because no rich kid knows how to fight? Puh-lease.

"I had a couple lessons here and there," I shrugged it off. I watched the X-Men battle it out. I noticed how Kitty had superior flexibility to the others, Kurt had exceptional acrobatic skills, Rogue had better form than the other X-Men, and Evan used a common street-fighting style. Other than their inexperience, I was impressed. They were a well-rounded team, each of them having their strengths and weaknesses. After the others did their sparring, Logan had us go through basic motions and stances. I've learned all of them from extensive training with Batman, but did the training anyway.

Later, Kitty, Kurt, Evan, and I were hanging out in the living room flipping through TV channels. There was a re-run of Speedy and GA's fight with Bane. It was one of those League hater anchors. Why can't anyone just appreciate some help once in a while? "Change it," I ordered Evan.

"Aight," Evan said with a chill out motion. We decided on a reality show about teenagers getting pregnant. Seriously? Is there nothing good on TV anymore? I was extremely grateful when my phone started to ring relentlessly and didn't bother to check who it was. I left the living room and sat on the stairs in the foyer.

"Hey," I greeted whoever was on the other line.

"Okay-I-know-you-must've-just-been-a-little-bit-surprised-earlier," Pietro spoke rapidly, "but-it's-not-too-late-to-go-get-something-to-eat."

It was so much easier to decipher his words when at a time other than five in the morning. "Pietro, I already told you, I'm not interested," I turned him down again.

"Come on, Angel, give me a chance."

"No," I said firmly.

"Okay, okay, how about we get dinner? Just as friends," Pietro suggested. Although, I'm doubtful about the 'just as friends' part.

"Sure," I accepted against my better judgment.

"Great," Pietro said brightly, "I'll pick you up around seven. See ya, Angel." He hung up before I could change my mind. _What have I done?_ I asked myself. I went upstairs to take a shower. It may not be a date, but I don't want to be nasty from training. I changed into jeans and a blue shirt with black designs on it. Not a date, so I didn't have to worry about looking good or anything like that.

"Going somewhere?" Kurt poofed onto the railing when I walked downstairs, shrugging my jacket on.

"Gonna grab dinner with Pietro," I told him.

"I thought you…?" Kitty trailed off and cast a meaningful glare at Kurt and Evan.

"I'm not," I assured her, "we're just hanging out. There's nothing wrong with that, is there?" I crossed my arms and stared my three friends down.

"Well…no…" Kurt said hesitantly.

"But he's bad news, Lia," Evan said forcefully, "the dude got me arrested." And I could overlook that.

"Chill out, Daniels," I told him and pulled my hair into a ponytail nonchalantly, "we're just hanging out. I'll be back before nine. You can call the cops if I don't come back after that, kay?" And on that note, I walked out the door. I decided to wait for Pietro down by the gate so that he wouldn't have to face the wrath of the X-Men. Pietro pulled up in Lance's Jeep and waved at me fifteen minutes before seven. "Not a date," I reminded him when he handed me a rose after I got into the car.

"For now," he smiled and drove away from the Institute. "Did they show you around yet?"

"I…got a look around," I said carefully choosing my wording. Sneaking out early in the morning didn't really count as getting shown around. He pulled into the parking lot of a busy diner. It reminded me a lot of Bibbo's in Metropolois.

"This place has the best burgers in town," Pietro said as he helped me out of the Jeep. "They don't disappoint." Pietro held the door open for me and led me to a booth by the window. He sat across from me.

While Pietro was talking about Bayville and the sights to see, I thought a couple things over. Such as, the way my friends pretty much hated him, how he was constantly messing with me, and the way he hasn't really hit on me even though we were alone together. "Okay, what's going on here?" I asked after the waitress brought us two glasses of water and our menus.

Pietro peeked out from behind his menu, "Well, I think I'm sitting here about to order a double cheeseburger with a strawberry shake."

"That's not what I meant," I rolled my eyes at the sarcasm. "Why are you hanging out with me? You obviously don't like my friends, and you haven't seen me since we were kids. I can't think of any reason why you would want to be my friend."

Pietro sighed and set his menu down on the table, "I'm not interested in being your friend, Angel." His eyes held mine for a second too long, and I was the one to look away. I stirred the water in my glass with my straw; when I let go, the water was still going.

"I'm not interested in being anything more than friends," I countered.

Pietro looked up from my glass with a half-smile I know drove girls crazy, because it was enough to make me nervous enough to stop turning the water, "Sounds like a challenge."

"Hi, I'm Ellen, what can I get you?" the waitress asked, taking a pad and paper out.

"Double cheeseburger with a strawberry shake," Pietro told her.

She wrote it down and looked expectantly at me. "Veggie burger, please," I handed her back the menu. But I wasn't up for dinner. I think that if I eat anything, the butterflies in my stomach were gonna make me puke it up.

"You wanna know the first thing I thought when I recognized you?" Pietro asked me.

"Depends is it good or bad?" I returned. Not flirting because it's not a date.

"I thought that you had gotten so much more beautiful than you already were last time I saw you," Pietro said. Ah, there was the flirting. I was starting to doubt whether or not I was with Pietro Maximoff.

"Not a date," I reminded him mockingly.

"For now," he repeated with a smug look. "I'll win you over sooner or later."

"Don't hold your breath."


	4. Chapter 4

I didn't see Pietro at school for the next two days, but I found notes folded up in my locker in the mornings and received texts from him at night. "One guess who it's from," Rogue said snidely when she and Kitty met up with me at lunch in regards to the note I had gotten that day. The three of us had taken to sitting apart from the other X-Men.

"Uh..." Kitty pretended to think it over, "Nathan Dennis from her biology class?" The two girls burst into laughter as I flicked them both with tiny streams of water.

"What'd he say?" Rogue asked, no longer joking.

"'Don't miss me too much,'" I read out loud with an eye roll. Classic Pietro, managing to be funny and arrogant at the same time. "He is soo predictable."

"Uh-oh," Rogue said to Kitty, "she has that look." Kitty and Rogue had made it clear that the two of them would support me if I ever decided to tell Pietro about my growing crush on him. They didn't necessarily _like_ him, but they were my closest friends at the Institute.

"What look?" I narrowed my eyes at her.

"The Pietro's sooo dreamy look," Kitty replied and fake swooned.

"Half the girls here have that look, Lia," Rogue pointed out to me. Okay, I've been in Bayville a total of four and a half days, and I get the freaking point! Pietro's a player, and I'm just going to end up with a broken heart. What the X-Men and other Bayville High students don't know is that my heart, like the rest of me, can endure more pain than most people.

"Speaking of other girls who have that look," Kitty grumbled as she saw someone walking up behind me.

"Don't turn around," Rogue warned.

"Wasn't planning on it," I told her and ate a forkful of salad.

"Hey, Thalia!" Bianca's high pitched greeting made my head hurt.

I barely glanced at her. She has made it quite obvious that she and I weren't on friendly terms. On the bright side, I didn't have to pretend to like her. "Hi there, Bianca." She was followed by her ever present cult of artificial hair colors and plastic body parts.

"You haven't seen Pietro around have you? He promised to have lunch with me today," she knew that I hadn't seen him, because he hadn't shown up in two days. _Wow, discretion is soo not her thing_, I thought with a mental eye roll.

"Maybe that's why he ain't here," Rogue grumbled. Kitty held back a giggle; on the other hand, I snickered without bothering to conceal it.

"Look, Thalia," Bianca made a face as if my name left a sour taste in her mouth, "I've tried to be your friend."

"Is that what you call it?" I asked with attitude.

She spoke over me, "But you're making it so damn hard."

"What do you want, Marx?" I demanded. You know how I mentioned not being as good as Bats or Robin when controlling my anger? Yeah, this is one of those times when it's a good thing to have backup.

"Back off," she growled with more venom in her voice than Bane has in his body. "Pietro has made it very, very noticeable that he wants _me_."

I laughed darkly and rose to my feet slowly, menacingly, "First of all, I'm not interested in Pietro. Secondly, you don't have any idea who you're messing with. Thirdly, you are the most irritating person I've ever met in my entire life."

"Go stalk the football team or something," Kitty snapped.

"Yeah, you're wasting our lunch period," Rogue added.

"Back off," she repeated before strutting away with her long blond hair swishing behind her. If it wasn't for my strong aversion to taking another person's life, that girl would've drowned a long time ago…in a water bottle.

"I'm so sick of her," I told my friends and speared my salad with my fork. "She's such a b****! Pietro's the one hitting on me. What business is it of hers anyway? If he wanted to go out with her, he would've asked her out already!" I was so frustrated and just plain pissed off that I threw my fork at a tree, and it lodged itself in the wood.

"Damn, you sure you ain't got super strength?" Rogue asked as she got up to retrieve my fork.

"Sorry," I grumbled and pushed my salad away. Next time my anger gets the best of me, those innocent leaves of lettuce might become a source of water weaponry.

"Just forget about her," Kitty advised.

"Forget about who?" I asked with an innocent smile. I projected a collected composure with ease, but inside…let's just say I was looking forward to training. I've been taught to channel my anger so that it doesn't get the best of me in battle, but that doesn't mean that I don't get angry. I don't even know _why_ I'm so angry. It's not as if I'm interested in Pietro…right? I mean, it's just a silly crush. Those never go far.

Later on at dinner, the professor gave us an interesting option concerning our training for over the weekend. Boot camp out of the city, or training with Logan. It was a unanimous decision to go to Iron Back Survival Camp over the weekend instead of stay in the Institute and train with Logan. The name itself made me excited enough. Survival camp? Totally my kind of place.

"What are you gonna pack?" Kitty asked me that night while I took out my duffel bag.

"It's only two days, Kitty," I reminded her when I laid my eyes on her pink suitcase.

"Hey, I, like, need the necessities," she said defensively.

"A straightener, Kitty?" I rolled my eyes at my half-joke. I wouldn't be very surprised if she did pack her straightener. I packed _my_ idea of necessities, tanktops, shorts, socks, underwear, utility belt, sweatshirt, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. The bus out of Bayville would leave from the school Friday so we would arrive Saturday morning and start as soon as we got there.

"Whatever," Kitty scoffed and jumped onto the side of my bed that didn't have clothes spread out on it. "Any idea where your boyfriend is?" I threw a pillow at her. It was really just pointless since she phased right through it.

I stuck my tongue out, "He's not my boyfriend."

Kitty sighed. We've been over this before. I'm not interested in being Pietro Maximoff's girlfriend. It's not going to happen. Nope. Not gonna happen. "Deenial," Kitty sang.

"Shut up!" I snapped and felt a blush warm my neck and cheeks.

"You know, this is totally cute," Kitty continued as I buried my face in my hands, wishing that I could make myself invisible. "It's a forbidden romance! Like, totally Romeo and Juliet." I scoffed. _Right. I doubt that Juliet had to deal with the things I put up with. Homework, lack of a love life, Mutant powers, secret identity…_ I thought sarcastically.

"Kitty. Shut. Up," I pleaded embarrassedly.

"I'm just kidding," Kitty giggled.

There was a knock on the door, "Can we come in?" It was Kurt and whoever else was out there. I glanced at Kitty for her consent. The girl nodded.

"Sure thing," I called back. The door opened for Evan and Rogue, and Kurt teleported with more toxic smoke. I fanned the air in front of me, "Dude, that's so nasty!"

"Sorry, I can't help it," Kurt said apologetically. I better keep a can of air freshener in the room for the next time he pops in. A girl can only take so much sulfuric gas.

"You guys ready?" Evan asked and sat on the desk next to my Wayne Tech laptop. _He better not start messing with it,_ I thought as he eyed the sleek black laptop. It was brand new, not even in stores yet.

"Yup," I nodded and pointed at Kitty's monstrous luggage, "but I think someone's over packed."

"It's everything I need to survive," Kitty exclaimed.

"Kitty, it's two days," I repeated. You'd think we were moving there judging by the size of her suitcase.

"You never know when you're going to need to look good," Kitty pointed out. No arguments there. A girl has to be ready to impress at any time, but I think she was overdoing it just a bit.

"This is going to be so much fun," Kurt said excitedly.

"I know, right?" I agreed, beaming. All I need is one day even. Me versus obstacle courses and mountain trails. Then my phone rang, surprising Kitty, who yelped and phased through my bed. Everyone laughed loudly, and I hushed them all down. "Thalia Wayne, here," I said.

"Niiiiiiaaal!" Dick sang loudly into the phone. Not exactly the greeting I was expecting.

"Are you working?" I asked through gritted teeth.

"Sorta," he replied with a snicker. I don't want to be the one to blow my friend's secret identity, so no matter how freaking mad at him I am, I have to make sure if I can yell at him using the right name.

"DAMMIT KID SHUT UP!" I shouted angrily. Am I going to be made fun of by every housemate I've ever had? The X-Men watched me with identical looks of amusement. I stuck my tongue out at them childishly.

"Hear that?" Dick asked to someone else in the room, "She is pissed."

"Hey, Lia!" Wally shouted from the background. "Speedy's here, wanna say hi?" Oh, God, someone kill me now. I grabbed a pillow and groaned into it. Great. KF's there too. "No? Roy, she doesn't want to talk to you. So, what's up?"

"WALLY!" I protested. The guys were tormenting me, and they knew it. I swear, when I get back on duty, I'm going to get them back. They won't see it coming, but I'm going to get them.

"Give me the phone," I heard Roy order gruffly.

"Sorry, dude, she…Hey! Don't point that thing at me! Okay, okay!" Wally's voice had become high pitched, and I held back my snicker.

"Hey, Lia," Roy greeted after a pause.

"Hi, Lia's friend!" Kitty greeted loudly.

Roy didn't say anything, but I heard Dick and Wally greet Kitty. "Dude, put her on speaker," Wally told him. "Wha..hey! Stop it!"

"Guys that's _my_ phone," Robin reminded them. I could picture the scene. Roy standing at a table with his arsenal of trick arrows in front of him, aiming an arrow of some sort at Wally. Then, the two of them wrestling for the phone. Dick had probably just grabbed the phone.

" Wow, Lia, your friends sure know how to have a conversation," Rogue said.

"Forgive them," Kaldur spoke for the first time during this phone call. Wow, they were all hanging out without me. "It seems that they've all forgotten their manners."

"Kal," I said in relief. Finally, someone who _isn't_ going to try to talk to me about my single status. "Tell them to watch what they say," I told the Atlantean, "I have company." No offense to the others or anything, but I don't want them to know about my friends' night jobs. I reached for my phone, but I went right through it. I glared at Kitty, but she just gave me a what-can-you-do gesture.

"How are your powers coming along?" Kaldur asked me. He was my designated hydrokinesis tutor, and he's gotten me this far pertaining to control.

"Well enough," I replied. I couldn't give too much away. They were probably already suspicious that Kaldur knew about my Mutation. The guys had helped me out when my Mutation first developed, and they didn't have second thoughts about helping me.

"Roy wants to speak to you," Kaldur reported.

"Kay. Thanks, Kal," I shortened Kaldur's already shortened nickname. Kal is common enough. I don't think the Mutants are ready to know that one of my closest friends is Atlantean.

"What's up?" Roy asked. I glanced at my friends, who were now speaking among themselves while I was on the phone.

"Hanging out with the housemates. How about you guys?"

"We're at Wally's," Roy answered.

"Cool. So, guess where I'm going tomorrow," I told him excitedly.

"The moon?" Roy asked jokingly.

"No," I rolled my eyes at the boy's weak guess, "try again."

"Arkham," Roy didn't even say it like a guess, instead, he stated it.

"You suck at guessing games," I snapped. "I'm going to a survival camp."

Roy gave a low whistle, "Who's gonna be doing the surviving? You surviving camp? Or is the camp surviving you?" Kurt and Evan snickered at this. Haha…so not funny. He probably anticipated my reaction; he quickly added, "I'm kidding. Go easy on whoever gives the orders."

"I'll try. How you holding up?" This was the first time he's spoken to me since after his fight with Bane. I haven't been updated on the state of his injury.

"It's better. I've been taking it easy, you know? Staying out of the worst." This pretty much meant that he was still running missions, but staying out of range. I know that there's no way that I can get Roy to stop doing his job, but I wish that he would stay home and recuperate.

"I know," I confirmed. We've all gotten beaten up pretty badly during our careers. You can't go into the field without expecting a couple broken bones or worse. Sometimes, it's life or death.

"Hold on," Roy hissed to whoever was bugging him at Wally's, "ugh. Fine. Thalia, Wally wants the phone now. I'll call you later. When I get home." Roy lived with Ollie in a nice house in Star City. It was pretty far from Central City, and by the time he gets home, I'm probably going to be sleeping.

"Hey, Lia," Wally greeted. When Wally first became a hero a few months following my Mutation, he had flirted with me so much that I eventually had to beat him up in order for him to stop. Out of all the sidekicks, Dick and I have the most experience. Both of us had three years under our belts, but Dick was a couple months up on me. Roy had a year of experience. Kaldur'ahm and Wally had both become heroes this year.

"Before you even ask, Wally, no, I'm not hooking you up with any of the girls here."

Wally sighed heavily, "Fine. Your turn."

"Nice talking to you too, West!" I _hmmphed_ distastefully.

"So when are you going to visit?" Dick asked, "It's pretty boring at home without you there." Poor kid. He was only eleven and living in the Manor alone with Bruce and Alfred couldn't be that fun.

"I'll visit soon," I promised, "how're things?"

"Good. You?"

"Great, except there's this girl at school who's been giving me a hard time," I confided in the younger boy. Dick may be three years younger than me, but he's like the brother I tell everything to.

"About?"

"This guy at school," I answered, an image of Pietro flashed in my mind.

"There's a guy?" Robin asked with renewed interest.

"What guy?" Wally's voice piped up.

"No," I said firmly, "there's no guy."

"Denial," Kitty coughed. I shot her a glare that could kill.

"Okay, before this gets any worse for me, I'm gonna go. See ya," the guys said good-bye all together, and I hung up.

"We better get to sleep too," Rogue told the others, "tomorrow's gonna be a long day."

"Right," Evan agreed.

"Good night," Kurt said and poofed away.

"See you tomorrow, Lia," Kitty waved as she and the other two left my room. As soon as the door closed, I groaned and fell back on my bed. I sat back up and hauled myself off the bed in order to get a shower. After I showered and changed into pajamas, I was fully prepared to go to sleep. Then my phone rang. I considered ignoring the call, but thought better of it. I glanced at the caller ID, it was Pietro.

"Thalia, here," I answered.

"Hey, Angel," Pietro greeted.

"I hope you've been having fun doing whatever," I said and pulled the covers back.

"I've been busy," he said flippantly. "You know, I would've asked you to come along, but you have that goody-goody reputation of yours."

"Nice of you to be so considerate," I commented.

"Isn't it? What's up?"

"Going to sleep," I replied with a yawn.

"So early?" Pietro asked in surprise.

"I'm going on the school trip," I told him. The boot camp wasn't a private X-Men trip. Everyone at the school was invited.

"Oh, right. Well, have fun with that, Angel."

"Are you even going to school tomorrow?" I demanded. He couldn't just keep bailing on classes. Even bad guys needed an education. If he ever wants to be anything more than a common criminal, he's going to need college.

"Maybe. Why? Are you starting to miss my company?" He asked smugly.

_A little bit,_ I thought to myself. Then I realized what was going on. I was playing hard to get. I liked him, but I was just making it hard on him. I had thought about getting into another relationship, thanks to Mia putting the idea in my head, but I wasn't ready. "Hardly," I lied and rolled my eyes.

"Aw, admit it. You miss me."

"I'm just saying, you need to show up at least more than two days a week," I told him. "What've you been doing anyway?"

"Nothing worth mentioning."

"You promised Bianca you'd have lunch with her today," I reminded him. I mentally punched myself. Why did I bring that up?

Pietro groaned, "Her again? I don't remember saying that. Oh, wait. Yeah. I might've told her that. I don't know, she doesn't stop talking. I must've just said it to shut her up." I felt a little smug and relieved. Why? I'm not ready to admit. Not to myself or anyone else.

"Maybe you should think before you agree to something next time," I advised.

"What are you doing for lunch tomorrow?" Pietro asked.

"Same as usual," I replied.

"Wanna hang out? I'm sure Toad's forgot about that little incident at the mall by now," Pietro chuckled.

I rolled my eyes, "He totally had that coming. If you're inviting me to lunch, does that mean you'll be at school tomorrow?"

"I might stop by."

"Then…maybe," my brain was screaming at me to take it back and hang up, but my brain needs to shut up once in a while.

"Awesome, I'll see you then, Angel," Pietro said before I could take it back.

"I didn't say yes," I reminded him.

"I didn't hear a no," Pietro countered happily. "I gotta go, my landlord's throwing a temper tantrum, sweet dreams, Angel."

"Good night, Maximoff," I replied and hung up on him. I slept well that night, even though I could have very well just made a huge mistake.


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N...Okay, so this review was a little bit delayed by my short attention span xD Sorry about that. Alrighty, people. I know you're out there (not trying to be creepy), but I have no idea if you like this story or not! Well, here's where I start to fit things in with the series. Don't worry, I'll still squeeze in the DC heroes ;) _

I woke up early on Friday morning if for no other reason other than habit. I got out of bed and went through my morning routines. As usual, I was up before the other kids. Hey, I guess training with Bruce in the mornings had its advantages.

"Ah, Thalia, there you are," Professor Xavier said as I hung around on the main staircase in the foyer while waiting around for everyone else. "I was just about to call for you." It's no secret that I'm up early…especially after that little incident my third day here.

"Good morning, Professor," I greeted politely. I wondered what he needed to discuss with me. "Is something wrong?" Eh, I'm used to preparing for the worst case scenario.

"Not at all," Professor X replied. "How is your training going?"

I shrugged, "It's good." I can't, like, solidify or evaporate the entire ocean, but I'm doing well.

"Logan's informed me that you're his star pupil," the professor continued questioningly. Why is everyone so surprised that I can take care of myself? I'm from Gotham; self-defense should be second nature to the inhabitants of the city. "It's rather impressive that you can subdue both Jean and Scott."

I felt a rush of pride at Professor X's praise, "Thank you, Professor."

"You're very welcome. The control you've shown over your powers in general is also quite extraordinary for a new student," the professor continued. "Especially for someone so young."

"It's not a challenging ability," I said modestly. Compared to Rogue's, Kurt's, and Jean's abilities my powers weren't as…unpredictable. Sure, there were a few quirks, but I've overcome those obstacles thanks to Kaldur.

"I beg to differ. Hydrokinesis could prove to be extremely dangerous should you ever lose control."

"It's even more dangerous when I'm in control," I pointed out with a smirk. At least if I lose control I'd be sloppy; when I'm in control, my aim's deadly.

Professor Xavier nodded his agreement, "When you're at the camp this weekend, I want you to keep an eye on the other students, encourage them to make the right choices." I knew that he was talking about our powers…

"Uh, sure, but I think someone's going to have to make sure I _know _the right choices, Professor," I admitted.

"Not to worry, I'm sure you'll be able to restrain yourself," Professor Xavier said confidently. I hope so, but there's no telling what trouble I'd cause if someone got on my nerves.

"That makes one of us," I muttered as the other students started to walk down the stairs and bid us good morning. Professor Xavier made the announcement at breakfast that we wouldn't be allowed to use our powers at the camp. Nobody made any arguments. We all put our stuff in the X-van and the trunk of Scott's car since there was too many bags to fit in one car.

"I so don't want to go on this stupid camping trip," Kitty complained as I took my books out of my locker.

"Oh, come on, it's gonna be fun," I assured her.

Kitty scoffed, "Right, because the term _survival_ camp just screams fun."

"I'm just saying," I told her and put my books away. "It can't be that bad."

"You're, like, joking, right?" Kitty asked.

I rolled my eyes, "Okay, so maybe survival camp isn't everyone's scene, but I'm sure we can handle it." Kitty walked with me until we got to my homeroom class. I took my seat and watched as students started to file in. The bus for the camp left around seven, so nobody was wearing the clothes they'd use for the ride.

"Hey," Pietro greeted as he dropped into his seat next to me.

"Ah, so the rare Pietro Maximoff has finally decided to make an appearance," I joked, "should I take a picture before you disappear again?"

"Go ahead," Pietro grinned widely, "you can even make it your wallpaper."

"What compelled you to show up today?" I asked.

"The prospect of having lunch with a very pretty girl," Pietro replied.

"Maximoff," I said warningly. Although, inside, I was very flattered even though he was just flirting.

Pietro just laughed, "Okay, okay. I'll cut it out for now."

"For now?" I scoffed, and his smile just grew. The topic of discussion was the class trip. Mr. Richards gave all of us the lecture on expected behavior, but I don't really think that anyone was really paying attention to the teacher.

When the bell rang, we were more than ready to get out. "So, are we on for lunch?" he asked as he got out of his chair. Shoot, I was hoping that he had forgotten about that. Wishful thinking on my part. I guess it couldn't hurt if I got to know the Brotherhood. I mean, it's not like they can hurt me or anything.

"Sure, why not?" I accepted and shrugged my backpack on.

"Great. You know where to find us. See you then," Pietro was gone in an instant. How is it that nobody notices that boy's less than discrete use of his powers? The rest of the morning seemed to take forever. Maybe it's just because I'm sort of excited for the trip. I met up with Kitty and Kurt at my locker to grab my lunch, and I walked into the cafeteria with them. My eyes instantly scanned the room for the Brotherhood.

"Looking for someone?" Kitty asked.

"Yeah, I told Pietro I'd have lunch with him today," I informed her and spotted the boys at their table. Pietro saw me and gave a small wave, and I smiled back at him. Kitty and Kurt noticed the little exchange.

"Uh…what the hell?" Kurt asked confusedly.

Kitty punched Kurt in the arm and winked at me, "Have fun." She dragged the German boy after her. I walked over to the Brotherhood's table with second thoughts. See, I'm not one for doubting myself, but this is one of the few times that I was hesitant about making this decision. Maybe I should turn back…yeah, that would be a good idea. Then my eyes locked on Pietro's. All my doubts vanished, and I confidently strode up to his table.

"Hey, I remember you! You're the chick who made me look like an idiot at the mall!" Todd exclaimed.

"You don't need anyone to make you look like an idiot," Lance rolled his eyes and gave me a less than friendly look. I held my head high, refusing to let him believe that I was intimidated.

"Okaay, time for introductions," Pietro announced. "Lia these guys are Toad, Lance, and Blob. Guys, this is Lia."

"Thalia," I corrected. I'm not exactly on a friendly basis with these three, and, therefore, I won't have them addressing me by my nickname. "So, what do the bad boys of Bayville do on their free time?" I asked and dumped my lunch on the table. Might as well make small talk.

"Eh, this and that," Todd said.

"Cool," I said half-heartedly. There really didn't seem like anything for me to talk with them about. I mean, bad guys and I don't usually hang out at lunch time and have decent conversations. Well, I _have _had a couple decent conversations with some criminals…relax, I was usually in combat. It turns out that the Brotherhood were actually just like all the other 'bad boy' wannabes out there. Actually, once I got past Toad's smell and the fact that they're on the other side, I started to develop a mild tolerance to them. A tolerance, mind you, it's not like I'm planning to take them out for dinner anytime soon. Pietro seemed to be enjoying himself immensely. I couldn't blame him. I was actually getting along with the Brotherhood guys…I could only imagine Dick's face when I tell him that I'm hanging out with the local juvenile delinquents.

"Where are you guys from?" I asked them conversationally, "I already know that Pietro's from New York, but how 'bout the rest of you?"

"I'm from Illinois, pretty close to Chicago," Lance replied. Ah, Chicago…I've been there a couple times with Bruce. In uniform and on a few socials…neither occasion had been enjoyable.

"I'm a hometown boy," Toad said, once again getting too close to me. This time, I didn't have to trick him into one of my pranks. Pietro literally yanked the Mutant away from me. "Yo, what was that for, man?" Toad demanded.

"Back off, slime ball," Pietro muttered in a warning voice.

"How about you, Fred?" I asked the ginormous guy.

The boy shrugged, "I traveled around a lot." Then I recognized who he was. Being around the guys so much in the last few months has really impacted my social life. I literally blew off a shopping trip with Mia so that I could watch a bunch of guys drive around monster trucks with the boys. Not that it wasn't absolutely _wicked_. There was a part of the show when they had a kid hold back two moving trucks by a chain. Roy had just given they guy his trademark suspicious glare, but the rest of us had been having fun.

I scrutinized Blob more carefully. No doubt about it, he was the kid we had seen. I didn't bring it up…yet. It didn't seem important. "That's cool. Have you ever been to Gotham?" I asked.

Lance scoffed, "That place is totally jacked up."

I rolled my eyes, "At least we don't have Mutants running up every alley."

"Yeah, you guys have grade-A sociopaths," Lance agreed. Pietro looked as if he was expecting a fight, but I just laughed. The Brotherhood looked at me in confusion. I'm sorry; it's just so…_true._ We may not be a Mutant hot spot up in Gotham, but we definitely have a crime rate off the charts. It's not exactly something I'm proud of, but it's something I'm responsible for. At least before this whole Mutation thing screwed everything up.

I puzzled the guys by my sudden change of attitude. One second, I'm instigating a fight; then, I start laughing; now, I probably look ready to punch a wall. I felt Pietro put his hand on my shoulder. Not in the flirtatious way you'd expect, but comfortingly…like a friend. I stayed out of the conversation at the table for a little bit after that; only jumping in occasionally. The Brotherhood was…okay. I didn't click with them the way I did with the X-Men, but they weren't that bad.

After school and after we all changed into the clothes we would wear to the camp, a bunch of us were sitting on the steps of the school before the bus took off.

"I'm hungry," I complained to Kitty, Kurt, Evan, and Rogue. Scott had gotten everyone burgers for dinner, but that was so not enough to keep me going.

"You just ate!" Kitty exclaimed in shock. What? Heiresses can't enjoy some fast food once in a while? Okay, fine! More than once in a while…

"I'm hungry too," Kurt added with a wistful look in his eyes. I rolled my eyes and smacked his shoulder playfully.

"Dude, you can teleport whenever you want!" then I grinned slyly and handed him a twenty, "Go get me a cheeseburger with medium fries and a bottle of water." With that said, the boy popped out of existence. Well, in a matter of speaking. He was actually just getting me more food.

"So, how did things go at lunch today?" Kitty asked me.

"I still can't believe ya did that," Rogue shook her head at my lack of judgment.

"Yeah, man, what were you thinking?" Evan demanded.

I sighed and pushed my hair back irritably, "I don't know. I was thinking that it wouldn't hurt to get to know Pietro's friends…"

Evan groaned and covered his ears with his hands, "And we're back to Pietro."

Kitty shoved him, "Like, leave her alone, Evan. Anyway, you didn't answer my question."

"Oh," I said off-handishly, "it wasn't as bad as you'd expect. They were pretty decent…for a bunch of delinquents."

"Did I just hear that right?" Rogue asked in surprise, "You did not just say that the Brotherhood was decent."

I shrugged and looked down at my combat boots, "Just saying. They could be a little dense, but other than that, they were okay." I hadn't really been interested in their conversations, but, like I said, they were tolerable.

"Speak of the devils…" Evan muttered. Apparently, out of us five X-Men, Evan's the only one who's managing to stay rational. I was _friends_ with Pietro, Rogue and Kitty were backing me up to an extent, and Kurt remained the ditzy fur ball. I immediately looked up and saw Lance's Jeep speed into the parking lot. Huh, I didn't know that they were going to be on this trip. I smirked to myself; boot camp just got a lot more interesting.

#*#*#*

"You will not be making wallets, neck tie racks, or paper weights. You will not be engaging in potential sack races, water balloon tosses, or pony rides. You will be taking twenty mile hikes, repelling two hundred foot cliffs, and crossing treacherous water with no more than a rope and all the courage you could muster. Do you read me?" The man in charge of this camp demanded. I liked the whole military attitude he's got going on, but come on, man, have you _seen_ Batman pissed off?

"Yes, Sergeant Hawk, sir!" we all shouted in unison.

"I said, do you _read _me?" Sergeant Hawk repeated.

"Yes, Sergeant Hawke, sir!" we shouted louder than the last time. We were all standing in a line with our heads held high, backs straight, and shoulders back. It was only seconds past dawn, and the sky had the beautiful pastel pink, periwinkle, and orange color. We were pretty far out of the town and up in the mountains. Sergeant Hawk's a middle aged man with huge muscles, short build, and unusually large nose. He wore a white T-shirt, green shorts, belt, black sunglasses, green cap, and whistle around his neck.

"Welcome to Iron Back Survival Camp, a name you won't soon forget. Now, here we have a young man, Scott Sumner," Sergeant Hawk walked up until he was right under Scott's chin.

"Summers," Scott corrected.

Not that Sergeant Hawk cared; the man continued anyway, "Whose scholastic achievements at Bayville High have earned him the rank of group leader. You will be following his lead," I caught the disdainful glances from the Brotherhood…not that I was looking at them out of the corner of my eye, "You've got ten minutes to stow your gear and report to the training field. Dismissed!" Then everyone grabbed their stuff and scattered. I can't blame them. That little greeting was intense.

Kitty groaned and sat on her luggage, "I'm going to be dead in, like, two days!"

"It's only two days, Kitty," I reminded her with a sigh. She made it sound like we were moving there.

"What about me?" Evan demanded, "I'm a city kid!"

"Uh, hello," I said with an eye roll, "we don't exactly have two hundred foot cliffs in Gotham."

"What did we ever do to deserve this?" Kurt asked.

"I'm going AWOL," Rogue announced, picking up her duffel bag, "anyone know how to hotwire a school bus?"

"Whoa, whoa," Scott said, catching her by the shoulder. "Slow down, private. C'mon, we're not washin' out in front of the whole school. Besides, Professor X endorses this place." I fought a scoff. Less than fourteen minutes in camp and Scott was already using army lingo. I can't wait for his position to go to his head.

"Yeah," Jean added oh-so-helpfully, "at least he gave us a choice. Survival training here, or with Wolverine." Red's hair was braided so that it wouldn't get in the way, and she wore a blue-green tank top and shorts. All the X-Men were wearing clothes that were better fit for the survival camp.

Rogue scoffed, "Some choice."

"It is not that bad," I scolded her.

"C'mon, we can do this!" Scott said encouragingly. Everyone picked up their stuff, including me, and we all walked towards our bunks while Rogue, Kurt, Evan, and Kitty complained. I cast a look over my shoulder at Pietro, and he winked back at me. I quickly turned my head away to hide my blush.

"How was the bus ride?" Kitty asked with a knowing grin as we went to our cabins to put away our bags. The cabins' exterior was fairly large and constructed out of wood; inside, there were bunk beds in rows on both sides of the cabin. My blush only got worse at this comment. I had actually sat with Pietro instead of with the other X-Men, much to Jean's disapproval, but whatever, right? She's not my mother. I can sit with whoever I want to on the bus.

"It wasn't bad," I said and tossed my duffel bag on a bed, jumping on the same lower bunk soon after.

"You seemed to be having fun up there," Kitty's grin widened.

I internally groaned, "Kitty!"

"What?" Kitty asked innocently and got up.

I heard Rogue snicker from her bunk next to mine and Kitty's. I threw a pillow at her, which she ducked under. "Come on, we should get out there before we get in trouble for being late," Jean said. She had taken the same bunk as Rogue, but she got up and started out the cabin, expecting us to follow after her. I rolled my eyes, and Rogue pointed her finger at her open mouth with an eye roll. I sniggered and adopted an innocent look as Jean rounded on us.

Our first part of survival camp was an obstacle course. It was easy enough. Climbing up a rope, zip lining down, getting onto a raft, paddling across the river, and running through the finish line. Simple, right? I was climbing up with no trouble at all, but I decided not to get competitive. I mean, it's just camp. I was only slightly ahead of Scott and Lance, and this is me without breaking a sweat… The rope couldn't take it when Blob tried to pull himself off the ground, and it snapped under his weight.

Fred growled irritably, "I'm not built for this kind of stuff."

Scott and Lance really had it going on between them…you could just see the rivalry between both boys. I let them pass me as I climbed up, just so that I could enjoy watching the two in action. Scott made it to the zip line first, but Lance was right behind him. The two of them dropped from the lines only seconds apart and raced for the blue rafts. I saw them pause for a short conversation, but I was too far away to make out the words. Lance extended his arm, and, suddenly, Scott was in the water while Lance pushed off the raft. I narrowed my eyes; I know that Lance had done that with his powers. Not fair!

The rest of us had finally caught up – hey, I'm taking it easy – and none of us were very happy. "Hey!" Evan exclaimed, "That cheatin' chump!" Spikes grew out of the boy's forearms, and he was totally ready to let loose. Hell, so was I. That wasn't fair at all! I was totally ready to stop the current and keep Lance from advancing any further.

"Listen," Jean said, taking Evan's wrist in her hand, "we agreed not to use any powers out here, remember?" She looked at both me and Evan when she said this. "You know, just man against nature."

"That guy needs his boat popped!" Evan said, pointing at Lance…who was still getting pretty far ahead.

"What he needs is one good old fashioned wipe out," I added.

"Yeah, well, Scott's cool. He'll handle it like a group leader should," Jean said with complete faith in Scott. I smirked. Had she not seen what was going on between those two? Scott's got some pretty good self control, but all's fair in hard core rivalry. A white and red beam shot out from Scott's eyes and tipped over Lance's raft. _Ha!_ I thought triumphantly…this was directed at both Jean and Lance. "Or not," Jean added after witnessing this. All of us, except Jean, started cheering as our teammate climbed up on Lance's raft and started paddling. Scott made it to the finish line first, and Lance pounded the water in frustration. I sent a little wave over him for that…just a small one, nothing too noticeable.

"That loser, Scott, shoulda lost and you know it," Fred accused. I crossed my arms and glared at the three boys.

"Yeah," Pietro agreed, "just because he slipped into the bath, the guy went ballistic!"

"Slipped? More like avalanched," Kurt shot back.

"He stole that first place ribbon," Toad added.

"He did not!" Kitty argued fiercely.

"Back off. Lance totally started it," I growled at Toad.

"You want that ribbon so bad? I'll pin it to your forehead, creep," Rogue threatened. I believe that she would do it too. It was all out war after that. X-Men versus the Brotherhood. Pietro looked as if he was ready to get in a fight with Evan right here and now, and I jumped in at Evan's defense.

"How about I ventilate that ego of yours, Pietro? Just like old times," Evan growled.

"Go ahead and try, slowmo," Pietro taunted.

"Leave him alone, Maximoff," I snarled angrily, not caring that he was my friend. I guess he didn't care much either because he snorted in return.

"What'ya gonna do about it, Angel?" Pietro shot back. Well, after more arguing between our two teams, Sergeant Hawk eventually had enough of it. He blew the whistle and all of us were assigned to do sixty pushups. Even I have to say that that is cruel and unusual punishment.

Once we finished up with that, almost everyone collapsed on the last one. "Now, on your feet," Sergeant Hawk ordered. There were groans of protest as we all followed orders, "Here at Iron Back, we got ways to weed the loud mouths from the tough guys. We fight it out in the wilderness, against the wilderness. You grunts want to prove how tough you are? Fine. First team to snatch the flag I planted up there on Mount Humiliation and brings it back to me wins." Uh…nice name for such a pretty mountain. Seriously, what kind of name is Mount Humiliation? We just _had _to open our big mouths…

"Cake walk," Pietro said confidently, "our team can take a sauna. I'll get it myself."

I scoffed, _Cocky little…_ My inner thoughts were interrupted when Kurt accepted this challenge, "Not if I beat you there." I admit, it would've been much more intimidating…if the blue haired boy wasn't wearing a Fanny pack.

"The whole team or no one," Sergeant Hawk interrupted impatiently, "and as proof, I want a snapshot of every member of the team right there at the top. Are we clear?" His angry voice echoed through the mountains.

"Sir, yes, sir," we all replied.

"You leave in five from opposite trails. Be ready," then he walked off. I took that to mean that this little discussion was over. I shot Pietro a final glare, and he responded with a sly smirk. Funny how we could be close enough to look up funny animal videos on my phone in the bus, but now we were ready to tear each other apart in a competition.

"They're going down," Evan announced.

"Hell yeah," Kitty agreed. Oh, yeah. The Brotherhood is going down, and I'll personally make sure that happens.

"Hey, check that out," Kurt got my attention by saying. I looked up at him and saw him pointing at Lance and Scott. The two of them were facing off, exchanging words, and Jean just stood there and watched.

"What do y'all think they're goin' on about?" Rogue asked as we watched intently.

"I bet it's got something to do with our powers," I replied judging by their ferocity. It's not like I can't do this without my powers, but Sergeant Hawk wanted a picture with _all _of us. I'm pretty sure that Jean wouldn't let us use our powers to help with this either. _This is going to be so. Much. Fun,_ I thought excitedly.

#*#*#*

"Come on! Let's pick it up! We're almost to the base!" Scott shouted from the front of the group. Okay, we've been at this for a while, and people get tired. Even I could only take so much running in a day!

"Okay, what's with Mr. Decathlon?" Rogue demanded between her panting. "He's as bad as Sergeant Hawk!"

"Ugh, he's getting too into this!" I complained.

"All he cares about is winning this thing!" Kitty exclaimed exasperatedly. "Hey, Kurt, can't you, like, make yourself useful and just teleport us up to the top?"

"That would be really helpful, Kurt," I agreed.

"This trip is of the power free variety, I'm told," Kurt replied with a touch of sarcasm.

"Come on, just follow Scott's lead on this," Jean grabbed the two of them by their elbows and pulled them forward. "We'll win, you'll see." Someone was placing a little bit too much faith in Summers.

"The mosquitoes here are the size of pelicans!" Evan pointed out, "No bugs like this in the burg, man, why are we here again?"

"Just shut up and run, Daniels," I snapped. This day was _not_ making me feel all bubbly and happy on the inside. I was frustrated with Lance for not playing, Sergeant Hawk's lame ass training, and Scott's one track mind getting the better of him!

"Spot the flag?" Kurt asked as he, Scott, and I got onto a ledge before the others.

"No," Scott replied. "Pop up top and see if it's still there."

"Scott," I said sternly. As much as I'd like to forget about Jean's rules, I had to agree with her. We couldn't rely on our powers for everything.

"But…I thought…" Kurt said hesitantly, looking back over his shoulder, "What about Jean?"

"She's not going to like it if we use our powers," I agreed with the German boy.

"Hey, you wanna win or not?" Scott asked, placing a hand on Kurt's shoulder and looking at me with a meaningful expression.

"Don't do it, Kurt," I said, playing the good conscience. He looked down thoughtfully, but gave in to peer pressure.

"Okay, fine," Kurt agreed, although he didn't sound happy about it, "but she's not going to like this. I can tell you that." He stepped away from Scott and teleported away. I shook my head disapprovingly, but I didn't stop him. I'm such an enabler. He returned in seconds as Evan walked up next to me. "It's there. We are very close, and no sign of the enemy," Kurt confirmed.

"Evan, spike a rope up there, time is wasting!" Scott held out the rope to Evan, who looked at it questioningly.

"You sure?" Evan asked and looked up at Scott, "You look pretty sure to me, man." Evan took the rope and went off a couple steps. He tied the rope to a spike a little bit below his wrist and threw it up close to the top. The spike lodged itself into the face of the mountain.

"That flag is ours!" Scott announced and spit on his hands, rubbing them together. He started to climb up, but stopped to look over his shoulder at us. The girls were glaring, Evan and Kurt looked a little bit shameful, and I shook my head in disappointment. He offered the rope to Jean, but she turned her nose up at it and started climbing up the hard way. I'm not particularly close to the telepath, but this impressed me. She had earned some respect from me.

"Idiots," I grumbled under my breath as I found sturdy hand and foot holds.

"Right?" Kitty agreed with an eye roll. We climbed up for what seemed like hours, but I'm sure it was only half an hour or so. Scott had taken the lead, and we were getting pretty high up.

"There it is!" Scott exclaimed, "Victory!" Then the whole mountain started to shake, and everyone who had been standing lost their balance. I held on to the ledge as if my life depended on it, and it did. Evan screamed as he lost his hold and plummeted down. Jean looked over the ledge and extended her arm out, catching the boy with her telekinetic powers. I felt my shoulders sag in relief as she raised him up and set him down on the solid ground.

"Whoa, I don't recommend that," Evan commented and hooked his thumb over his shoulder. Kurt clasped his friend's hand in one of those guy handshakes, and Kitty approached with her arms open for a hug. I just smacked him in the shoulder.

"Don't scare us like that," I warned him.

"Nice move. That tremor had to be Lance," Scott said, "so they gotta be close. Jean, levitate us all to the top." Uh, bad move, Summers. As if goody-goody Jean would do something so morally incorrect.

"No way, forget it," Jean said and put her hands on her hips. Who called it? That's right, I did.

"What?" Scott asked, his voice got high at the end, "You just used your powers, what's the difference?"

"That was life and death! This contest isn't! It seems like X-Men ought to know the difference," Jean countered.

"Whoa, Scott's in for it," Evan commented.

"Yeah, Jean looks pissed," Kurt agreed.

"Over here!" Rogue called, she was crouched down and looking down something. "It's them!" Scott and Jean walked over there first, and the three of us followed shortly.

"We won't!" Scott shouted into…a mine shaft? Oh great, the Brotherhood had gotten themselves into trouble in a mine shaft. Why does it sound like we have to come to their rescues?

"What happened?" I asked him, leaning over the giant square hole in the ground.

"They managed to get themselves caved in. Come on, we have to help get them out," Scott stepped away to give instructions to the others.

"How's it goin' down there, boys?" I asked casually, hearing it echo off the walls.

"Angel? Is that you?" Pietro asked, as if he had been lost for days instead of minutes.

"This is quite the situation you've gotten yourselves into," I commented.

"Oh, shut up. Who asked you?" Fred demanded.

I giggled and turned to the other X-Men. "Move over, Thalia," Scott advised, "I'm going to repel down."

I nodded at the team leader, "We're sending the rope down, now." Then I stepped back and helped to secure the rope. First, Jean and I had to help Fred climb up the weak rope by giving him a little extra push. Pietro and Toad were both able to climb up on their own. I walked over to the snowy haired boy and asked, "You alright?"

His mouth turned up in a half smile, "What? You weren't _worried _about me, were you, Angel?"

I rolled my eyes, and smiled back at him, "You're such a loser, Pietro." As an afterthought, I added, "I'm glad you didn't get hurt." I watched as Scott went in to check on Lance. Pietro brushed himself off, and I looked the three of them over. Other than being a little bit dirty, they were fine.

"Pietro," Freddy said and pointed…at the flag.

"I'm there," Pietro said before speeding off. Ugh! That jerk! We had just saved them from being stuck in an abandoned mine for who knows how long, and now they were taking advantage of the distraction!

"Hey!" Kurt protested and disappeared in a puff of smoke. The two of them grabbed the flag at the same time and started to fight over it. Then, the Blackbird appeared and grabbed all of our attention.

"X-Men, Professor X is in danger, and so is Mystique," Ms. Monroe said from the jet.

"Up for it?" Scott asked Lance.

"Let's go."

#*#*#*

Storm had filled us in on the way about what was going on at the Institute. Apparently, Professor Xavier has a half-brother who's out to get him. Somehow, Mystique, the woman in charge of the Brotherhood, got involved with this. I'm pretty sure that this whole incident had been her doing. We made it to the Institute and raced down to the Danger Room.

"We'll take it from here," Lance announced. I took in the damage that had been done to the Danger Room. Logan was half-conscious on the floor, and the man with the mushroom helmet was tearing the place apart! I don't even think that Superman himself would've been able to do all that without at least having some trouble.

"Well, now, this is a surprise," a woman with red hair, blue skin, and white eyes said. She was wearing a purplish-blue body suit with a white material over it, white thigh high boots, long white fingerless gloves, and what seemed to be a belt of tiny skulls. She and Professor X were being advanced upon by mushroom helmet. Jean went forward and the Mutant's hand stopped inches away from the professor's face. She fell to one knee as she lifted him up. She didn't succeed in much, other than getting his attention focused on us instead.

"Cain's helmet," Logan said weakly, "remove it."

Blob slammed into Cain while his guard was down, "Unstoppable, meet the unmovable." Kurt teleported onto the man's back and unlatched one of the knobs that attached the helmet to his armor. The Mutant pulled Nightcrawler off of him and threw him aside like a rag doll. I caught him with a stream of water and set him down lightly. Then, Cain attacked Blob and sent him flying into the wall. Cyclops, Avalanche, and Quicksilver combined their strengths to get another latch undone. Storm sent a gust of wind at him to topple him over, and I held him down with hardened water. Rogue and Kitty phased through a wall as he struggled with the wind and restraints.

"Get the latch!" Rogue said to Kitty.

"He's breaking free!" I warned them as I quickly molded the water in its solidified state to hold him long enough for the girls to get away. As soon as they were safely out of range, I let the water return to its liquid form, and the Mutant rose to his feet. Toad used his frog-like tongue from above to remove the helmet.

"No!" Cain roared. He tried to rush Professor X, but the next second, he was grabbing his head and shouting out in pain. I watched as the professor took down his half-brother from within the man's own mind. _This_ is why I don't like telepaths. The man managed to make his way to Professor X's wheel chair, and I tensed, ready to defend if needed. Then, the man fell to the ground in front of the professor. We all started cheering when it was over.

"Yeah!"

"Woohoo!"

"Alright!" Our cries all went up at once, and…Pietro pulled me into his arms. I was grinning as I looked up at him, but my expression became serious when I saw the mischief in his eyes. I was painfully aware of how close he was to me, and how our bodies fit together like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

"Pietro Maximoff, don't you dare," I warned him.

The boy just grinned and shrugged, "Eh, I'll take my chances." Then he kissed me. It wasn't anything…wild or passionate. It was just a gentle, light kiss on the lips… one that made my face burn with embarrassment, and I ended up kissing him back. That one small kiss made me feel absolutely ecstatic. The rush of freedom I would get while patrolling the streets of Gotham, or, in this case, Bayville, filled me.

We broke away, and Pietro ran his hand through his hair, "You're probably going to yell at me for that later."

I grinned at him, "Oh yeah." He just smiled back and we joined the others. I got elbowed meaningfully by Kitty, and Rogue was smirking. I just ignored them and enjoyed this victory.

Pietro's arm snaked around my waist, and I let him hold me against his side. He was right. The two of us would be having a long talk about that kiss later…even though it was probably one of the best kisses of my life. "Come on boys, let's get out of here before you get invited to a slumber party," Mystique said, leading them away.

Lance turned around, "Hey, Summers, as a group leader, you're only half bad."

"Well then, next time, you can call the shots," Scott said. I smiled. They had settled their differences…for now.

"Trust me, there won't be a next time," Avalanche said before turning his back to us.

Pietro looked over his shoulder at me and mouthed, "Call me." I smiled, rolled my eyes, and watched them walk out of the Danger Room. This was definitely one crazy day…I couldn't wait to tell the other protégés about it! Oh, who am I kidding? This is just another normal day in the life of Thalia Wayne.

_A/N...No! I am not finished! There is more to come as soon as I get the next chapter done. What'd you think? Was it okay? Like? Dislike? How am I doing so far? _


	6. Chapter 6

"What was that?" Kitty squealed as I opened the door after showering and changing into PJs. She and Rogue barged into my room. I sighed and sat on my bed, knowing that I wouldn't be able to get out of this conversation.

"Which part?" I asked, my voice was laced with sarcasm, "The part where we kicked Juggernaut's butt, or the part where Pietro kissed me?"

"Uh, the part where Pietro Maximoff, a.k.a. Quicksilver, kissed you!" Kitty exclaimed.

Well, I'm not really sure what that was. Pietro had just…gone and kissed me. It's not like there was much for me to do about that now. Come on, people, give me a break! I had just gone through extreme physical conditioning. There's no way I'm going to deal with Pietro right this second. I'll do that later. "It's about time," Rogue commented from the desk.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I demanded. Okay, maybe I'd have some trouble with denying my feelings for Pietro now that he had gone and kissed me. I know that having a relationship with someone on the other side isn't easy. Especially when you're bound to run into each other in combat eventually, but we could keep our personal life separate from business, right?

"You've been totally in love with the boy for days," Kitty pointed out with an eye roll.

"No comment," I said and collapsed back onto the pillows.

"Aww, it was so cute, though," Kitty exclaimed. I sighed and massaged my temples. There was a lot to think about in regards to my relationship with Pietro. No doubt, this kiss had significantly changed things between us. I felt like I should call Dick and spill my guts, but I know that the information would only make its way to Speedy. That would only be more of a complication…

"Uh-oh, what's that look on your face, Lia?" Rogue asked.

I snapped back to reality, "Nothing. I'm just thinking."

"About Pietro," Kitty giggled. I considered telling them about Roy but decided not to. What did it matter now? Roy's made it perfectly clear that he and I aren't involved in anything other than a friendship. That was his choice, not mine. I should probably tell Mia about it though…I suppressed a shudder; she's going to be worse than Kitty!

"No," I snapped, feeling a blush creep on my cheeks. "Can we talk about something other than Pietro Maximoff?"

"Sure, let's talk about how we have to complete survival training with Logan," Rogue groaned.

"That's so unfair!" Kitty exclaimed, "It wasn't our fault that we had to leave the camp early!"

"We need to be at our physical best," I pointed out. "You don't see Black Canary slacking off." I've trained with the woman before, and she's just as scary as Logan. Not as bad as Bruce, but still pretty scary.

Rogue rolled her eyes, "That's because she's a part of the Justice League."

"And we're the X-Men," I retorted. "We can be just as good as the League…eventually." It's not like anyone's going to take a bunch of kids seriously on our own. Especially in this day and age when different is a bad thing.

"Right," Kitty said disbelievingly. I sighed; the X-Men are good. I saw the way they took down Cain, and they could make it big in the super hero world. All they need is a little bit of time to mature. They're still just kids. Okay, I know what you're thinking. I'm their age so I shouldn't be talking, right? Mentally, I'm far more mature than your average teenager. I was about to contradict her when my phone went off. Every time I'm talking with these guys, something interrupts.

"Oh, just answer already," Rogue said and rolled her eyes. I smiled apologetically and picked up my phone.

"Thalia Wayne speaking."

"Lia? Are you alright? I saw on the news about that guy escaping, and Bruce and I got…" It was just Dick freaking out. Aww, overprotective adoptive second cousin once removed. Meaning that I'm a Wayne because Bruce and I have the same great-grandparents. I come from the youngest child of our great-grandparents, which explains the huge age difference between me and Bruce; therefore, my branch of the family has managed to stay out of the Wayne family business for a while. Until me, that is.

"I'm fine," I assured him, "we took care of it."

Dick sighed in relief, "What do you mean you took care of it?"

I rolled my eyes even though he couldn't see it, "What do you _think_ it means?"

"Oh," Dick said simply. The Boy Wonder can be pretty dumb sometimes, can't he? "Are you okay? I looked into it, and we found out that he's an enhanced Mutant or whatever. Any clue what that means?"

"Dude, I'm fine. Really. How are things back home?" I asked to change the subject. I didn't want to talk about the fight with the kid. I'd be too tempted to tell him about Pietro, and he'd be too tempted to tell KF, and Wally wouldn't be able to keep his trap shut, and then Roy would find out.

"This homework is killing me! I seriously think that they're trying to make life suck for me," Dick complained. Balancing homework with training was definitely harsh on our schedules.

"Hey, you've been doing this for how long now? C'mon, suck it up," I said mock sternly.

Kitty held her hand out for the phone. I raised an eyebrow, "I'm giving my phone to my friend…?" My voice lilted up towards the end so it came out as a question. Kitty snatched up the device.

"Heey! I'm Kitty, and I'm one of Lia's housemates, who's this?"

"Well, this is gonna be interestin'," Rogue said with a smirk. "Put him on speaker." Kitty did, and she put the phone on the desk for all of us to hear.

"Uh…I'm Dick," the boy said a little confusedly.

"How do you know Lia?" Kitty asked.

"I live with her cousin," Dick stated.

"He lives with my cousin," I said at the same time.

"Jinx!" Dick sang into the phone.

"Screw you!" I snapped back, laughing. So I spent the rest of the night talking to Rogue and Kitty with Dick on the phone. At least until Dick decided to go to sleep. It was great to hear that they liked the younger boy. They even thought that Dick's habit of making up words was cute. Richard Grayson is anything but _cute._ I mean, sure, he's got that fun boyish quality that made everyone want to be his big brother or sister, but he's a troublesome little squirt.

"So Dick's, like, your…?" Kitty asked after the phone call.

"He's a part of the family," I stated firmly. He might have a different last name and different genes, but he's one of us. Bruce treats him like a son, and I treat him like a brother. I looked at the clock, "We better go to sleep. Training tomorrow's going to suck."

"Totally," Kitty agreed and yawned, "G'night."

"See ya," Rogue and Kitty walked out of my room together. As soon as they were out, I quickly dialed Mia's number. Okay, I just had to talk to someone about Pietro…I felt a bit bad that I didn't want to talk to Kitty and Rogue about this, but Mia's been there for me ever since I moved to Gotham.

"Hello?" Mia asked.

"If I tell you something, will you promise not to freak out?" I immediately responded.

"Holy crap," Mia said in a dead serious tone, "Thalia, what did you do?"

"What? Nothing," I said defensively.

"Then why would I freak out?" my best friend countered.

"Because this guy kissed me," I replied.

"WHAT?" she screeched into the phone. I swear that girl could be Dinah's protégé with that voice of hers.

"Shut up," I hissed.

"Sorry, sorry. Why am I just hearing about this now?" she demanded. I know that she was probably pretty pissed that I hadn't mentioned Pietro to her in any of my other phone calls. "Does Roy know?"

"Because it just happened! No, Roy doesn't know…and don't you dare tell him," I said warningly.

"Why do you care? You're just friends, right?" I could hear the mocking note in her voice.

"AMELIA! We are friends. Just because…I don't…" I spluttered angrily. Insert face palm here. Roy Harper and I have a complicated relationship; wait, what am I talking about? There's nothing complicated about it. We have a perfectly normal, perfectly dysfunctional friendship. Okay, fine. So maybe we used to date for…three months and twenty five days before he dumped me, but whatever, right? We can maintain a healthy friendship and work together in combat so all's well that ends well.

"Puh-lease," I could visualize her rolling her eyes. "Anyway, tell me about this guy. Is he cute? I'm guessing he's cute. Okay, on a scale of one to Roy?"

"Mia!" I exclaimed in mock horror, "He's hot, not as hot as Roy, but still pretty damn hot."

"You've been there how long, exactly?" Mia asked with amusement.

"One week exactly," I replied.

"And you already have a new boyfriend?" Mia asked skeptically.

I sighed, "That's why I called you first. I really like this guy, Mia, but I don't know if I'm over Roy yet. It's only been two months since…"

"Since Roy Harper broke up with you without any good reason?" Mia cut in. It wasn't like that; sort of. Roy's reason for breaking up with me was because he saw our relationship as a distraction from his training. I didn't argue with him because I knew how much becoming a member of the League meant to him. If he thought that dropping our relationship was the best way to keep up with his training, then so be it.

"It wasn't like that," I argued. Wait; why am I defending the guy again? Oh, right, because he's my friend. I sighed and tried to get her back on subject, "Do you think it's too soon?"

Mia scoffed, "It's never too soon to get back at that jerk for dumping you…"

I groaned, "It's not like that! I really do like Pietro, but…what if something happens and the press tracks me down? I don't want him to get sucked up into this crap." Let me break it down so everyone understands. I am probably one of the most well known teenagers in the world; therefore, I have the media on my ass whenever something big happens. Sure, Bruce can cover it up, but that doesn't always stop them from leaking out gossip. Gossip gets out and everything goes to hell.

"Oh please, it is _not_ that bad!" Mia said, "I'm your best friend, and we managed to keep me out of it."

I rolled my eyes, "That's because Bruce found a way to make sure that they stayed far, far, far, far, _far_ away from you. I can't ask him to do that all the time."

"Then keep it on the DL," Mia replied as if it was that easy. "You're good at keeping things to yourself. Besides, it's not like the press has ever done an article on your current love interest."

"That's because Roy never had a criminal record," I retorted.

There was a pause on the other line, "Holy crap! You're dating a bad boy! I didn't know you had it in you, Wayne."

"I am not dating him," I protested. Not yet at least. Would I like to date him? Yes, very much, yes. Would that be a smart idea? No, not at all. Cons: he knows me better than anyone else in Bayville does; thus, making him my closest friend here, he's one of the bad guys, Roy, the press is going to ruin his life if this gets out, he's a known player, Roy, Bruce is definitely not going to be okay with me dating a known delinquent, my friends don't particularly like him, the other members of high society life are going to give me and Bruce hell when I bring him to socials and such, said members of high society are going to humiliate him, he's a bad influence, and…uh…ROY!

Okay, maybe I'm overreacting…Roy wouldn't be able to hit Pietro with one of his arrows no matter how quick he can draw them. Anyway, now for the pros. Pros: he's actually a pretty good guy, being around him makes me feel alive, there's never a boring moment when he's with me, that kiss made me come to one very important realization… I don't just have a _crush _on Pietro Maximoff. Okay, it's a pretty small list in comparison, and it's missing the most important reason why I should be with Pietro…well, it's there, but it's just not _there. _I mean…it's there, but it's not exactly…you know what? Never mind.

"Thalia Evangeline Wayne, are you even listening to me?" Mia demanded. See what happens when I have boy trouble? My brain gets all out of whack, and I can't even focus. Great, I can't _wait_ for some metahuman to bust in and take me out while I'm debating what to wear on my first date. Hold on, I'm still not sure if there even _will _be a first date.

"Huh? Yeah, sorry. What were you saying?" I asked distractedly.

"Nothing important. Just wondering why you don't give it a trial run," she replied.

"Because," I said shortly. A trial run with Pietro would only make things worse. I don't want to fall for him any more than I already have.

"Oh. My. God." Mia said slowly. Each enunciated syllable made me wince. "You really, _really_ like this guy! Just shut up and go out with him already! I can't wait to see Harper's face when he finds out…"

"No! Absolutely _not_. This isn't getting to Roy until I say so," I told her.

"Okay, okay, fine," Mia relented. "He's gonna find out eventually. You're practically with the guy sixteen hours a day. Don't you think he'd notice?"

"I'm in Bayville," I meekly explained. Why the hell am I freaking out about this? I mean, it's not like Roy and I are still together, right? So why do I feel like I'm cheating on him?

"Thalia, just listen to me. What happens in Bayville…stays in Bayville," Mia was mocking me. God, why was she mocking me? I groaned and buried my face in a pillow. "I'm kidding, Wayne, lighten up. Look, Lia, if you like this guy, then go for it."

"What if he's just messing with me?" I addressed one of the many cons of why I should not date Pietro Maximoff.

"Then I'll drive down there and kick his ass," Mia stated. We both started laughing, because Mia couldn't kick anyone's ass even if she wanted to. When our laughter subsided, she started to talk again, "You're a smart girl, Thali, and you've been around enough jerks to know when one's playing with you. I have complete faith in you and your decision."

"Thanks, Mia," I said gratefully.

"Okay, now tell me what he looks like!" Mia ordered.

"Don't you care about what he's actually like?" I laughed and gave her a full description of Pietro, "He's tallish. Not extremely muscley but not, like, scrawny either. He has white hair, and it looks good on him. He has an ear piercing…"

Then she cut me off, "Wow, Thali, I'm sure Bruce is just going to love this."

"Mia!" I exclaimed, "Let me finish!"

"Sorry, sorry," she quickly apologized and let me continue.

"His eyes are freaking amazing. They're really, really, really pretty blue," I said and a picture of Pietro snaked its way into my head. Ugh. Why you have to be so damn cute?

"Oh God," Mia groaned.

"Hey! I'm a sucker for blue eyes. So sue me," I replied. Roy's eyes are blue, but they're nothing like Pietro's. Pietro's features were affected by his Mutation. His eyes and hair were colors that no human could possibly have naturally. The deep dark blue of his eyes made me feel like I was drowning.

"I gotta go. Mom's freaking out about something, and I have to go save Will from the parents' wrath. Good luck with your new beau," she giggled.

"Sure thing, Mia, I'll call soon. Thanks," I replied and hung up. Now I just had to be ready for everything else that could possibly happen to me before tomorrow. It was only eight, but I was already in my PJs and didn't feel like leaving the room. I decided, against my better judgment, to call my parents.

The phone rang for all it was worth, and they didn't pick up until I was about to hang up. "This is the Wayne residence," my mother answered.

"Hi, Mom," I greeted awkwardly.

"Oh, Thalia," Mom said.

_Gee, Mom, thanks for sounding so enthusiastic_, I thought. "Is now a bad time?" I asked her. I know that I haven't called in a week, but that's no excuse for her to suddenly revert to her old ways. I get that she and Dad thought that they were doing what was best for me, but they didn't even know me. I basically grew up in that house by myself. I heard the generic parent advice whenever they could be bothered with me as something other than an experiment.

"Oh, of course not," she said. "How's your first week?"

"It's fine. Everything's good," I replied. I hated making small talk with my parents. My father was almost always at work or in the lab under the house, and my mother was always trying to see if I would become a Mutant like her. Needless to say, they were both disappointed in me when I didn't show signs of Mutation. At least they were making some kind of effort.

"That's good," Mom said with a voice that sounded kind of out of it. Like when someone isn't focused on whatever it is you're talking about, but they respond anyway. "Thalia, we're actually really busy right now. Can we talk another time?"

"Yeah, sure thing, Mom," I replied, and she hung up. Great! Just freaking great! Do you remember that time when my mother and I chatted on the phone when I first got to the Institute? Yeah, well that isn't really what she's like…I mean, it's sorta like who she is, but… Okay, let me explain from the beginning.

My mom and dad both do work with the X-gene, and they only took an interest in me as a child to monitor me for the development of Mutant abilities. Because my mother had shown her pyrokinetic abilities at an early age, they immediately assumed it would be the same for me. Well, it wasn't. At the time, they had been working with Professor X and Pietro's father. I knew back then that my parents weren't like any other parents, and I learned not to expect them to actually care about me. The last straw was when they dismissed the two other adult Mutants, and my only two friends.

My parents will put up the front of being loving parents and act as if they know things about me, but in truth, Bruce has been more of a family to me than they ever had. When my mom asked me about my first day; I know that it was just because that's what mothers are supposed to do, not because she actually cared. I bet that they didn't even send me to the Institute in order to gain control. They probably did it so that they could have the Professor monitor my Mutation without them actually needing to be there. In reality, they're just scientists pretending to be a family.

I just sighed and turned my phone over in my hands a couple times. Okay, whatever. I contemplated calling Pietro, but red flags popped up in my head. I had to sort myself out before I even talked to him on the phone. Then my phone vibrated. I checked the caller ID and groaned. Great. Awesome. Roy Harper. Could my day get any better?

"Hey, archer," I greeted.

"Hi. Just thought I should check in," Roy said. "How's survival camp?"

"Well, it sucked, thanks for asking," I laughed and pushed down the mix of emotions I was feeling. I got this, just a friendly call, no big deal. I got this. "We didn't get to stay for the whole time. I'm pretty sure that you saw the news about the search party for that guy who broke out."

"Ugh, don't even get me started on that. We were on our way to check it out, but that stupid fog was so thick that we couldn't even see our bows in front of our faces." I guess that means that Storm did a good job on her part.

"I'm probably not supposed to tell you this, but I'll tell you anyway," I said, grinning. I could do this. Have a conversation with Roy without feeling bad about kissing Pietro. _We're just friends and occasionally partners,_ I reminded myself.

"Do I want to know?" Roy asked with a serious voice.

"Cut it out," I laughed. "It turns out that he was a Mutant, and he was after Professor X."

"Are you okay?" Roy immediately demanded. Yeah, if okay means that I don't know whether or not to move a step forward in a relationship with a guy I really like or keep trying to hold on to a dead end relationship; then, yeah, I'm fine.

I rolled my eyes, "I'm fine. Jeesh, you're almost as bad as Robin. It was awesome! I wish you could've seen it. Everyone was so good, Roy. We totally kicked ass! I could totally see them getting recruited for the League."

"Not before us, I hope," Roy replied amusedly.

I scoffed, "Of course not. They're just amateurs."

"Says Batman's whiny apprentice," Roy chuckled. God, why did he have to sound so cute when he laughed?

"Oh, shut up, Harper," I snapped defensively. I happen to enjoy having my cousin's back…but, I really, _really_ want to become a real Leaguer.

"Well, your attitude seems just fine, so you must be alright," Roy confirmed.

I laughed, "_Roy!_ Are you saying something about my attitude?"

"Who me? Psh, no," Roy teased. It was so hard for me to really let go when he did things like this. The times when he made me laugh, and when he made jokes, and when I wondered whether or not we should try again. Ugh, this sucks. I still don't know what I'm going to tell Pietro tomorrow. Eh, maybe I'll just wing it…

_A/N...Okay, so I forgot to spellcheck and grammar check this chapter so I had to go back and delete it and republish. Anywhoo...Thanks redangel2463 for the review and location of Star City. _

_I have a poll up to have my readers vote on which stories I should finish first, so if you want to read more from this story, you guys should definitely vote._

_I'm having trouble deciding on shipping names for this story. Which of Lia's aliases should I use? Or should I just do one of those cute couple names with their secret identities? Review to let me know! _


	7. Chapter 7

I ended up talking to Roy until ten. I gradually became more and more relaxed as if I didn't have to choose what to do with my love life. We talked about school, training, tech, and some miscellaneous stuff. I sort of didn't want it to be Sunday morning. Training and Pietro…huh, don't Mutant heiress superheroines get a break? No? I thought so.

I met up with everyone in the kitchen sometime around nine. Thank God, the Professor let us sleep in. Training started at ten o'clock sharp and ended promptly at one. I promised Pietro via text that I'd meet him at that diner at one-thirty.

"Did you talk to Pietro yet?" Kitty asked as we walked through the mansion in full uniform. I had noticed that my hair was really getting in the way during training and that last fight with Juggernaut, so I decided to just push it back with a blue headband. It was an improvement, but I still missed my other uniform.

I scoffed, "Yeah, right. I'm holding that off for as long as possible."

"Was it good, though?" Kitty asked.

Hell to the yeah! "It was pretty good," I replied, maintaining my dignity.

"I still can't believe you kissed that creep," Evan said and shuddered.

I smacked him on the arm playfully, "He kissed me, dumbass. Anyway, I'm meeting him later after training. Kurt, you wouldn't mind popping me over there, would you?"

"No problem, Lia," Kurt agreed. It sucked not being able to drive here. At least in Gotham I could use the Starcycle at night, and Alfred would drive me anywhere at any time. On the bright side…we have a fuzzy blue teleporting Mutant.

"Thanks," I said gratefully.

"Who's ready for training?" Scott asked cheerfully as he and Jean entered the sitting room. I've never met someone so optimistic about training before in my life.

"Nobody except you," I replied with equal perkiness.

"Lia, can I talk to you for a sec?" Jean asked and motioned for the hallway. Oh, yay.

"Sure thing," I got up and walked out of the sitting room with Jean right behind me. Why do I get the feeling that this has something to do with Pietro?

"Well, I saw what happened yesterday, and I just wanted you to know to be careful. Pietro Maximoff is _not _someone you want to get involved with," Jean said with an edge to her voice.

"Why not?" I countered impatiently. I just sat through a whole conversation with Kurt and Evan, and those guys _despise_ Pietro, but at least they've accepted that I have a crush on the guy. Seriously. Evan Daniels is cool with the fact that I have a thing for his arch enemy. Why does Jean have to get involved?

"Because you'll just end up getting hurt," Jean stated matter-of-factly.

I scoffed, "Trust me, Jean, I can handle myself. You don't have to worry about me getting hurt." I know that starting something with Pietro could probably end up just being a game for him, and I'm not okay with that. Pietro's a player, and I already know that I'd have to watch out…_if_ I ever decide to go out with him.

"He's just going to use you to get to the X-Men!" Jean exclaimed.

This is why heroes try to avoid romantic involvement with the bad guys. It gets too complicated, but…you can't help it when you fall…hard. "Then I'll get him back, simple as that, Jean," I replied. I really don't like it when people cross me.

"I don't think…"

I crossed my arms and stared her down, "Don't worry about the team. I'll make sure that he keeps in line."

"What about your performance?" Jean demanded. Damn, how long did she spend thinking up ways to put me down? She was really just pissing me off more than anything else.

"I can keep my priorities straight," I promised her. Maybe I should just go out with Pietro to bug her. Seriously, she was bugging me _that _much. "Come on, we have training," I pushed past her and down the hall along with the other students as they walked out of the sitting room.

"What was that all about?" Rogue asked me.

I glared over my shoulder at Jean, "That was Jean trying to keep me away from Pietro. It's just _her._" I know that not everyone in the mansion is happy about that kiss yesterday, but at least they were letting me make my own decisions. I'm an only child; I've never needed a big sister figure before, and I definitely don't need one now.

"Oh, just forget about her," Kitty advised, "Jean's never any fun." Yeah, she's got that right. Ah, training with Logan. Where to start. It was as bad as conditioning with Bruce. God, when I think back to my first months as Blackstar, I can almost feel the pain. We used the danger room to do some 'warm ups' and then we went outside for the actual survival training.

"Okay," Wolverine growled, "you're gonna play hide and go seek."

"What? That's, like, a kid game!" Kitty whined.

"Then you can scrub the hangar for the next month, half-pint," and that shut Shadowcat up for the time being. "Alright, you guys know the rules. Hide and Nightcrawler's going to go looking for you. You can stay anywhere on the property, and if you're found and tagged, you have to help look for whoever's left. Simple enough? Start counting, Blue."

Kurt turned around and set his forehead against a tree trunk, "One…two…three…" We all took off after that. The first place they'd look for me is on the beach and in the pool, but how deep could I get before the pressure becomes too great for the others?

I went old school and hid in a tree. It seemed like a good enough place to hide, and I'm pretty awesome at stealth and evasion. I think that my biggest problem would be Jean and Kurt. Jean because she could probably get a lock on my mind, and Kurt because he could pop in at any moment without any warning. I'd have to keep moving just to be on the safe side. I watched Kurt count to a hundred, look around, and then disappear in a puff of smoke. One the bright side, it was hide and _go_ seek. I could defend and try to lose him if he ever gets close.

"Found you!" I heard Nightcrawler announce. My body tensed in preparation to run, but then I realized that he hadn't seen me yet.

"No fair, man," Spyke was saying. I crept out of my hiding place and slowly maneuvered between tree trunks carefully. I had my defense up, and I was glad that we were in a healthy wooded area instead of a desert. I caught sight of Cyclops, but I didn't stop to warn him that he wasn't well hidden.

I waited there for someone to get close, and it was taking them way too long. I must've been waiting there for a half hour until I heard voices. "Where could they be hiding?" Rogue asked whoever was accompanying her.

"Hey, Jean, can you find them?" Cyclops called. I slowly walked around a trunk of a tree and kept my center of gravity low to the ground. I was doing fine until Jean called out.

"Over there! Behind you! It's Flashflood," Jean gave away my position.

I leapt out of the way of Cyclops's laser beam and focused on the surplus of water around me. I smirked at the three of them and the grass around us became a dried up golden brown patch as the water was taken from each little blade. "Uh-oh," Rogue said. A large ball of water was floating between us, and three tentacles shot out from it.

"Jean! Hold them back!" Cyclops instructed. The telekinetic held her arms out and an invisible shield fought for dominance with my attack. I didn't waste all of my energy fighting with Jean. Rogue was agile, and she outmaneuvered the tentacle I set on her. Well, at least for a while. I managed to split the tentacle into two, and while one chased her from behind, the other came up from behind and trapped her to a tree. The second tentacle grabbed Cyclops and bound his arms and legs so that he couldn't get to his visor or move.

"Hey, hey, Jean," I taunted and withdrew the tentacle because it was taking too much of my energy to go head to head. "Try this on for size," I fired X shaped throwing stars at her, and she managed to keep all of them suspended in air.

"Easy," I saw right through Jean's bravado. She was getting tired, and I was going to take full advantage of that.

"Catch," I smirked and solidified the large orb of water and hurled it at Jean. While that had her distracted, I liquified the center of the orb and fired a spear of water. It plastered her to a nearby tree.

"Hey!" Cyclops shouted as I took off running.

"Sorry, guys, try again next time," I laughed and dropped the orb of water onto the ground where it splashed onto the three Mutants.

"Lia!" They shouted in unison. I was found and tagged shortly after that by Nightcrawler and Spyke. They managed to overwhelm me with Spyke's powers, and Nightcrawler tagged me. We spent the rest of the training session trying to find Kitty. The fact that she could literally be anywhere was not a comforting thought.

"Did you find her?" I asked Rogue and Kurt after going through the entire freaking Institute. Where could that girl be hiding? It wasn't even this hard to find Batman and Robin!

"No," Rogue shook her head. I scowled. It was well past one and I was definitely going to be late if this went on for any longer! "So, what're you gonna tell Pietro?" Rogue asked curiously.

I sighed, "I don't know. He's so…amazing, but there are so many reasons why I shouldn't start something with him."

"You'll make the right choice," Rogue said supportively and placed her gloved hand on my shoulder. I gave her a small smile, and we continued to search for Kitty. I had only been in the Institute for a week, and I had already grown close to them.

By the time it was 1:30, we still haven't been able to find Shadowcat. Five minutes later, my phone went crazy and wouldn't shut up the whole time. I knew that it was Pietro, but I was a little bit busy.

"You have got to be kidding me," Rogue groaned when we found Shadowcat in the kitchen with a sandwich in hand.

"We were looking everywhere for you!" Spyke exclaimed.

"Oh, I was just here. Lia, shouldn't you be gone by now?" Shadowcat asked.

I groaned, "I couldn't because we couldn't find you! Ugh, someone tag her already." Spyke tapped her shoulder, and I ran up to my room. I showered quickly, changed, and grabbed my bag. I was late, very late. "KURT!" I shouted and grabbed the Mutant's shoulder, "I need to get to uh…that diner. Ugh, what was it called?"

"Rachel's?" Kurt asked.

I nodded vigorously, "Yeah, that one. Start with the teleporting." With a confused look, Kurt did as I said. One second we were in the Institute's foyer, and the next we were standing behind the diner. "Thanks, Kurt!" I waved over my shoulder as I started running for the entrance. I was almost thirty minutes late. The first thing I did when I exploded into the diner was scan for Pietro's white hair. I have to say that I was relieved when I saw him boredly sitting in the booth we shared the first time he took me here with his fingers flying across the keyboard of his phone at a mile a minute. I walked over to him slowly, trying to conceal the bounce in my step. Oh, God, I hope this is the right decision.

"You're a little bit late, Angel," Pietro greeted with a smirk. "I was starting to worry whether or not you'd show."

"Sorry, training took longer than expected," I apologized and slid into the seat across from him.

Pietro nodded in understanding and rested his elbows in the table, "So, on a scale of one to ten, how pissed at me are you?"

Huh, good question. Am I pissed that he just decided to kiss me in front of all my friends after I distinctly told him that I just wanted to be friends? Yes, yes I am. Granted, it was an amazing kiss. "Five point four," I replied truthfully.

"Ouch. That bad?"

I shook my head, "No. It wasn't _bad_. I just don't…I mean, it was unexpected. Pietro, I _told_ you that I didn't want to go out with you. You had no right to do that."

Pietro grinned widely at me, "I'm not hearing you say that you didn't like it."

"Of course I liked it," I clamped my jaws shut as soon as it slipped out. Resist urge to slam head on table repetitively.

"So…what does that make us now?" he asked and stirred the water in his glass.

I focused on the motion so that I wouldn't have to look him in the eyes, "Pietro, we're not together. That kiss didn't change anything." Then he was suddenly sitting next to me on my side of the booth. I scooted back until I was trapped between him and the wall. Before I could do something drastic, which is just another way of saying stupid, Pietro was kissing me for the second time in two days. I made a sound of protest, but it died away. Pietro's hands were on both sides of my face, and my hands were pinned between us. It wasn't the same kind of gentle, tentative kiss he had given me yesterday. This one was more heated and dangerous. Every doubt and con I could think about regarding a relationship with him instantly evaporated, because all that that I thought about was him and how good it felt to kiss him. I could feel Pietro smirk on my mouth, and we pulled away shortly.

"How about that one?" he asked and set his forehead on mine.

I laughed lightly and pulled him closer, "I'm not sure…" He kissed me again, a quick soft touch of his lips on mine. Nothing in comparison to the one we had just shared. "This is such a bad idea," I said to myself after he withdrew from our third kiss.

"Says who?" Pietro scoffed and put his arm around my shoulders. I leaned into him; let's face it, I really, really, really like this guy, and I was happier than I've been in months ever since Roy dumped me. Hold on. Why am I thinking of my ex while I was with my uh…actually, we haven't actually talked about becoming a couple.

"Says me and just about everyone in the Institute," I replied. "We need to figure out what's going on here."

Pietro scoffed, "It's kinda obvious. I like you, Angel, a lot. I'm pretty sure that you like me too. What d'ya say about being my girlfriend?"

I smiled at him, because hearing him say the word girlfriend sounded perfect, "I say that we're going to have to set some rules."

"Anything," he immediately said.

"First of all, we can't let our teams interfere with our relationship. A Brotherhood and X-Men fight shouldn't be taken personally if it comes down to you against me."

"Agreed."

"That means that you can't try to use me to get to my friends," I warned him. He nodded without missing a beat.

"Secondly, don't tell anything to the press. I don't want them to start tailing us everywhere we go."

"My lips are sealed," he promised.

I smiled and rested my head on his shoulder, "Good. And if you ever cross me, I'll make sure that you get your ass handed to you."

"Whatever you say, babe," he chuckled.

After we had lunch at the diner, he took me for a walk through the town. We were walking down a street hand in hand, and people were staring and pointing. I've been there for a week, and most of the talk has died down. I think that I'd be hearing rumors about this at school on Monday. "Would you take it the wrong way if I asked when do I get to meet your cousin?" Pietro asked.

I laughed and swung our arms back and forth between us, "If anyone else but you said that, yeah. Hmm…I'm not sure. Bruce has a busy schedule, and I don't know what he's doing this weekend. I'll have to call." Uggh! Bringing Pietro home with me would mean that he's going to have to meet Dick too. Just awesome.

"And tell him to lock away the valuables?" Pietro teased.

"Pretty much," I replied jokingly.

"Is he going to be okay about this?" Pietro asked worriedly.

"Pietro," I stopped and stood in front of him with my arms crossed and a mock stern expression on my face, "we've been together for twenty five minutes and you're already worrying about my cousin?"

"Can you blame me?" Pietro pulled me close to him, "He's one of the most powerful people in the world! I have to be on his good side."

"Good luck with that," I laughed. It was close to impossible to get Bruce to crack a smile. As much as I love my cousin, I think he needs to sit back and have some fun once in a while.

"What? Don't think I can charm my way into your cousin's heart?"

"Nope," I giggled, trying to picture Pietro kissing up to Bruce. I'm pretty sure that Bats is gonna search Pietro's name on the Batcomputer the second I tell him about my new boyfriend. I smiled wider. Pietro's my boyfriend. Wow, who would've thought.

"Doesn't matter as long as I have you," he said and kissed the top of my head.

I pulled away from him, laughing, "That was so cheesy!"

Pietro shrugged, "Cheesy but true."

"God, you're an idiot," I said fondly and ran my hand through his combed back white hair. Silky and soft.

"But I'm your idiot," Pietro replied and wrapped his arms around my waist. Top ten most blissful moments of my life, right here. Being in Pietro's arms was so right. I wonder why I didn't say yes when he first asked me out.

Pietro and I spent the rest of the day wandering aimlessly through the streets of Bayville. Later on, sometime around six, he took me back to the Institute and gave me a parting kiss. It was no surprise that all the students living in the building were waiting for me on the steps of the main staircase. There was a flash of light when I closed the door behind me. What the hell?

"Did you get it?" Kitty squealed.

"Yeah, man!" Evan said, looking down at a camera.

"Dude, you should've seen your face," Kurt laughed after seeing the picture.

"Leave her alone, guys," Rogue said in my defense.

"How was it?" Kitty asked. My other five housemates stared at me, waiting for my answer. How was it? It was freaking amazing. Pietro, beneath that proud, arrogant, smooth, flirtatious exterior of his, was a really sweet, funny, and affectionate person. He was a perfect gentleman the whole time; well, as gentlemanly as Pietro can be. We had a good time, and we didn't do anything illegal or even remotely troublesome to society.

"It went really, really well," I replied with a dumb grin. Why did I ever think about passing up a chance to be with him?

"So…you and Pietro are…?" Jean apparently couldn't bring herself to even say the words.

"A couple?" I supplied, "Yup."

"I can't wait to see Bianca's face," Rogue commented with an evil smirk playing on her features. Me either. I hadn't even thought about her. This better shut that little b**** up for good. Or, it just might make her try harder.

"Are you guys gonna go public?" Kitty asked.

I nodded, "Yeah. It's not like we have something to hide. I'm gonna tell Bruce about it soon, too."

"Aren't you worried about the tabloids finding out?" Scott asked.

I shrugged. Nobody even knew that I'm in Bayville anyway. The chances of anyone in the media business finding out about me and Pietro are pretty slim…okay it's more like a forty percent chance. "I'm high on life right now, Scott, don't ruin it," I said and walked up the stairs in a dreamy stupor. Probably the best first date I've ever been on.

_A/N... _

_I know that there are more of you guys out there than you're letting on. Don't be shy, I don't bite. Please let me know what you think. Don't forget to vote on which stories you think I should finish first. I'm still looking for shipping names for Lia and Roy, and Lia and Pietro. I don't care if they're PM or reviews, just help me out here please. Thanks to those of you who do vote and review. :D_

_UniCryin - thanks for reviewing...positively :)) It means a lot to me. Anywhoo, I'm looking for shipping names for Lia/Flashflood/Blackstar and Roy/Speedy/Red Arrow, and Lia/Flashflood/Blackstar and Pietro/Quicksilver. _


	8. Chapter 8

By Monday morning, my giddiness had died down a bit, and I was back to myself. I went through my morning routine as usual. I wasn't radiating happiness or anything like that when I walked downstairs. Kitty, Evan, and Rogue teased me endlessly during breakfast, as they had the night before. I just rolled my eyes and ignored them.

"I'm gonna walk to school today," I informed them as they started to pile into the car.

"She's probably meeting Pietro," Rogue snickered. I just swatted her arm and walked down the long driveway, watching them drive past me and out the gates. I took my time getting to the gates. Hey, when your boyfriend's a speedster, you don't have to worry about being late…unless that speedster's Wally. That boy doesn't know the meaning of the word punctual.

I felt a sudden gust of wind after the gates opened and closed behind me. Pietro was suddenly standing close at my side, his arms around my waist. I felt that bubbly, happy feeling swell up in my chest. "Mornin', Angel. How'd the X-Freaks take it?"

"Pietro," I protested and rested my head on his chest, "can you at least try not to make fun of my friends?"

"Hmm…" the white haired mutant said mock thoughtfully, "nope. Can't say I can."

I laughed softly, "Anyway, they don't seem too upset. They're actually kinda okay with it…I think." Well, this is me assuming. I know that the kids don't exactly _like _the fact that I'm interested in Pietro, but they tolerate it for me. Although, I'm pretty sure that they'll be watching him very carefully. I'm not so sure about the adults of the Institute. Ms. Monroe, Logan, and the Professor haven't lectured me about it yet, so I'm guessing that they don't care. I know that Logan probably doesn't give a crap; Professor X is all about us making our own choices; Ms. Monroe seems like one of those motherly types. I think I'm going to need Storm warnings…

"Right, I'm so sure," Pietro said cynically.

I swatted his stomach. Is it wrong that I'm surprised to find it totally solid? I probably should have realized that he'd be in good shape considering how his Mutation keeps him physically active. "They're handling it well, Pietro. Except Jean. She's like the queen of goody-two-shoes," I stated. I'm a hero, not a saint. Just 'cause I keep the peace and make sure that the bad guys get locked away doesn't make me a goody-goody. Okay, it sorta does, but still…

"Okay, let's talk about this later. Kay? C'mon, you don't wanna be late," he picked me up and started running. Super speed may be convenient, but it's not my preferred way of travel.

When we arrived at the school, we had enough time to stroll through the halls before class and show each other off as our other half. Kids stared, pointed, and whispered. Okay, it wasn't really whispering. I don't like being the center of attention. I tolerate and accept it, but I don't like it. My work is in the shadows. Stars don't shine as brightly during the day.

The end of the school day was one helluva relief. I don't think I could've handled another question about me and Pietro. Principal Darkholme made another friendly reminder that if any details about my relationship with Pietro get to the press, there'd be hell to pay. Well, maybe she didn't word it exactly like that, but the intent was there.

I waited on the front steps of the school for my boyfriend. When he appeared at my side, I couldn't help the rapid beating of my heart. I loved having him near me, and I loved the way he took my breath away by whisking me away. Despite the fact that I hate super speed travel.

He took me to a little point a few miles out of town that had a perfect view of Bayville. I liked it. It was kind of private, but I'm sure that it was a popular spot with the teens. "You okay?" Pietro asked with concern.

He had his arms wrapped around my waist from behind, and his face nuzzled my hair. I smiled and sighed contentedly, leaning into his warm body. I bet he heard most of the crap everyone was saying at school. "Yeah. It's just a bunch garbage," I assured him. "They aren't giving you any trouble are they?" I don't know who the heck I was talking about. Maybe the X-Men, maybe the Brotherhood, probably the kids at school who couldn't keep their mouths shut.

Pietro just laughed and tightened his hold on me, "I've heard some less than positive comments here and there."

"What're they saying?" I asked out of pure curiosity. I don't care about what the other students think or say at school, but if something gets out of hand, there's going to be trouble with me at the heart of it. I really don't want to get into trouble with things going so well.

"Just the usual. _Thalia Wayne's going out with the local player. She must be totally crazy. Who can blame her, though? He's so hot_," Pietro pretended to be two girls gossiping. He stood in front of me and zoomed from one spot to another in order to take the different roles. I giggled when he made googley eyes and batted his eyelashes.

"Pietro, stop that." I said between giggles, "You look hilarious." Then he had me tackled to the ground under him, his face hovering inches above my face. I was _excruciatingly _aware of the contours of his body against mine.

"Oh, I look hilarious, do I?" Pietro asked with a mischievous smirk on his face. He leaned forward and captured my mouth in a passionate kiss, which I returned blissfully. His touch set my skin on fire, and I loved it. After we kissed, again, and again, and again…Pietro brought me home, and I was still drugged from his mind blowing kisses.

Tuesday and Wednesday weren't really busy in any way at all, but here's a summary of the two days in a nutshell. We got the lectures in just about every class about the upcoming finals. Kids at school still wouldn't shut up about me and Pietro going out, but it sort of died down a bit by Wednesday. Pietro and I spent a lot of time together between school and training. Captured kisses, joking around like a couple of love struck idiots, and showing off our abilities. Never once did the subject of our opposing teams come up. The X-Men and Brotherhood could take their opinions and shove them. We were happy. Training continued as always without ever being put on hold. I was pushing myself to my limits. Manipulating water through the smallest of spaces without making any substantial damage; I failed several times. Prof had me practicing this control exercise whenever I could in the Institute. I talked to Mia, Roy, and Dick every night via cell phone. Mia was loud enough to wake Solomon Grundy from the dead when I told her that I had decided to go out with Pietro. I have yet to tell Roy, Dick, and Bruce.

Everything seemed to be going well. My relationship, my training, my grades, and keeping my relationship a secret from my family. Then it all came crashing down Thursday morning. Pietro told me that it would be best if I rode with my friends the previous night because he was dealing with some trouble and didn't know if he'd make it to school on time. I said okay, like a reasonable person, and did so the next morning. You can imagine my surprise when I saw the f****** media overtaking the damn front steps of the school!

Among the horde of reporters, I spotted Superman. He was out of uniform, of course, and I cast a desperate glance in his direction before chaos ensued. Reporters stuck microphones in my face and asked questions loudly. Their questions and the protests of the X-Men created a cacophony that made my head hurt.

"Miss Wayne, when did you transfer to Bayville High School?"

"Why were you sent from Gotham to Bayville, New York?"

"We were informed that you've begun an illicit relationship with one of your schoolmates, is this true?"

"Who are you? How do you know Miss Wayne?"

"How long have you known Miss Wayne?"

"Hey! Back off!"

"Don't ya point that thing in my face!"

"Like, what's going on?"

We were all saved by a stern faced and very upset looking Principal Darkholme stormed through the sea of flashing lights, large video cameras, and microphones. She's a middle aged Caucasian woman with boy cut brown hair, thick framed black glasses, and a gray business skirt, lavender blouse, matching earrings, and blazer. The crowd parted around her as if she had some sort of disease.

"Quickly, all of you, follow me," Principal Darkholme ordered briskly. We all hurried after the woman as she made her way back to the school. I didn't see Pietro the whole time this whole thing happened.

"I bet you this was all Pietro," Evan said with a threatening edge to his voice.

"He wouldn't do that, Evan," I snapped. Pietro knew how much I hated the paparazzi. There was no way that he would rat me out. He had promised me that he wouldn't mention anything. This was all on me. It was my choice to go public. I had made us an easy target, but a part of me was glad that this happened. At least I wouldn't have any reason to go sneaking around anymore, but I did have my doubts. Where was Pietro when all this went down? Why wasn't he around when the reporters got there? Did he set me up? I scolded myself for even considering this. Pietro would _not_ do this to me.

"Oh please," Kitty scoffed, "I bet it was that sklank, Bianca." Shoot. Why hadn't this crossed my mind? I'm an idiot. I felt a surge of anger towards Bianca. If it was her, then she's going down.

"Don't you all have classes to get to?" Principal Darkholme snapped. I was about to take off with the rest of the X-Men, but she stopped me, "Not you, Miss Wayne, I'd like to have a word with you in my office." Hahahahahaha….I'm so totally dead! Hahahahaha.

#*#*#*

Principal Darkholme's office has a mauve color scheme. The walls were violet in color with two red-violet stripes going around the whole room close to the ceiling. Behind the tidy desk and violet arm chair was a rather large window consisting of many smaller rectangular window frames. To my left of the desk was a wall of bookcases and an American flag in the corner. There were some framed degrees and certificates on the walls, too. The floor had a blue-gray carpet with a large concentric circle design in the center of the room.

I sat in front of the desk with my legs crossed and arms folded neatly on my lap. I portrayed a calm appearance all while my mind was screaming bloody murder. "Miss Wayne, I'm sure you understand why you've been called in here today. I assure you that whoever relayed information to the media will be severely punished for their actions," Principal Darkholme promised with a less than promising tone. "However, I cannot allow such a distraction on school grounds only days before finals begin. I've contacted both Professor Xavier and Mr. Wayne."

"I am so sorry," I said with true remorse for what I had caused, "I didn't think about what would happen. I swear, I'll have this cleaned up before finals."

"I think it's a little late for that, Miss Wayne," Principal Darkholme said in a business-like fashion. She looked over my shoulder at the door, "What are you doing here? I told you to keep out of the building!" I turned around and saw Clark Kent walking into the office. He wore a loose fitting slate colored suit, white shirt, red tie, fedora hat, and horn rimmed glasses. His black hair was kept short except for a lone curl, and he walked with a careful ease.

"Bruce won't be able to make it," Clark informed the principal of my school, "he asked me to fill in for him." Then Professor X rolled into the office, and the door closed behind him. Well, would ya look at this? Two of the most powerful people in the world in a room on my behalf. Superman and Professor Charles Xavier.

"Hello, Principal Darkholme. What seems to be the problem?" Professor X looked at me and Clark questioningly.

"I'm sure you noticed the reporters on your way in, Professor," Principal Darkholme stated professionally.

"Ah, yes. Would you care to explain what happened?" Professor X asked.

"They've been here since before I arrived this morning, all of them were waiting for _your_ student," her voice was very hostile.

"I can assure you, Principal Darkholme, that Thalia had nothing to do with the reporters at your doorstep," the professor countered smoothly.

"Can you explain then _who's_ responsible?" she turned on Clark.

Clark locked his blue eyes with those of my principal's, "Sorry, but I wasn't informed who tipped the Daily Planet about where Lia's been."

"Clark's known the whole time, and he would've done everything he could to avoid this if it was just the Planet that was informed" I quickly added. Clark's a close friend of Bruce's, and I'd be guilt tripping if I became the reason he got fired.

"Well, I'm afraid that we can't have Miss Wayne here with all the action her presence here is causing," Principal Darkholme stated. Dear God! Does that woman have a shred of kindness in her body?

"I'm sure that Bruce is already taking care of it," Clark assured us.

"I would be very happy to add my services where needed," the professor added. Clark nodded acknowledgment to the bald man.

"Am I too late?" Pietro burst into the room as Principal Darkholme opened her mouth to say something. His eyes went from Professor X on my left, to Clark standing on my right, to Principal Darkholme, and lastly his gaze settled on me. There was definitely panic in his expression, and I don't have to be a telepath to know what he was thinking. Pietro was worried about me, and I instantly felt terrible for doubting him.

"No, Mr. Maximoff, please, come in."

"Is Angel in trouble?" Pietro put his hands on my shoulders and my hand instantly covered his. I saw Clark watch this with interest. Yeah, I'm gonna hear about this later for sure.

"No, she is not," the principal responded.

"Then what's with the trial?" Pietro asked with glances at the two men.

"We're simply trying to work something out," Principal Darkholme said. Funny, I think it was implied that my position at BHS is at stake. That's not 'simply trying to work something out'. "Pietro, you didn't happen to inform the press about your relationship with Miss Wayne, did you?" she asked bluntly.

"What? No!" Pietro exclaimed.

"Are you sure?" she pressed, "I'm aware that you have quite the reputation, Mr. Maximoff, perhaps you let it slip in an effort to have your five minutes in the spotlight."

"No! I would never…well, I would, but not with Angel!" Pietro honestly answered.

"Can we please focus of Lia?" Clark asked, taking the attention away from Pietro.

"Who is this guy?" Pietro asked.

"I'm Clark Kent, a reporter for the Daily Prophet in Metropolis," Clark replied.

"He's here, why?" my boyfriend continued to ask.

"He's a friend of Bruce's, and since my cousin's busy, Clark's stepping in," I filled him in.

"This incident isn't going to affect Thalia's attendance at Bayville High School, is it?" Professor X asked calmly.

"I'm sorry, Charles, but I can't have the students distracted before their final exams." Funny, she didn't sound sorry. Pietro's hands tightened on my shoulders, and I wanted to tell him that things were going to be okay.

"Bruce and I will take care of that," Clark promised. "Give us a day and we'll have everything back to normal."

"I suggest you start immediately, then, Mr. Kent," the woman said icily. "Thank you for your time, Mr. Kent."

"Mr. Kent, would you mind taking Thalia back to the Institute, please? I think it would be best if she stay home until things quiet down," the professor said with a gentle look in his eyes. "I'll finish things here."

"Thank you, Professor Xavier," Clark said. I rose to my feet and turned around to follow the reporter out the door. I paused in front of Pietro. He pushed my dark hair out of my face and kissed me lightly on the lips. I touched his face with my fingertips, loving the soft reassuring touch of his lips on mine. I had to break the kiss because of all the adults in the room.

"I'll call you later," he promised. I smiled at him reassuringly before walking out the door and closing it behind me. Clark was watching me with a stern expression on his face and his arms crossed.

"Whaat?" I asked as we walked towards a back door. I trust that there weren't any reporters where he was leading us. Super hearing and all that Superman jazz.

"So, I take it that's the new boyfriend everyone's talking about?" Clark asked conversationally.

"Yeah," I confirmed slowly.

"I'm guessing that Bruce doesn't know."

I shook my head, "Not yet, but I'm gonna tell him. Honest! I'm just not sure how he'd take it. I don't think Pietro's ready to deal with my cousin."

"Then you better get him ready," Clark said and chuckled. This is why I like Clark so much. He's so much more relaxed than Bruce, but still had the potential to be just as terrifying. We got into his car unnoticed and drove off. "Does Roy know?"

"Uh…no," I scoffed.

_Thalia, tell Mr. Kent not to take you back to the Institute. There are too many reporters at the gates, _Professor Xavier projected into my mind.

_Sure thing, Professor. How's Pietro?_ I relayed the information to Clark. Okay, the man's an alien; I think I can trust him not to spill the beans about Mutants. He nodded and turned the corner on the way out of Bayville.

_He'll be fine, don't worry about him,_ Professor X assured me. I sighed in relief and thanked the professor. I bet that Clark was going to take us back to Metropolis since it was only forty-five minutes away from Bayville without traffic.

"So, why wasn't Bruce able to get to Bayville?" I asked curiously.

"Catwoman," Clark replied casually. Ugh, _her_. I don't like that thief at all. I mean, I don't like anyone who tries to freaking seduce my cousin.

"Think he's going to need help?" I wondered. I'm just dying to get into uniform and take that woman down. In fact, I don't even care who's out there. I could go for some action. I've seen the guys on the news, but there haven't been any Blackstar sightings.

"You're not supposed to be doing any missions," Clark reminded me.

"What else am I supposed to do?" I complained, "There's nothing for me to do while I'm being hunted down by a bunch of crazed reporters. Excluding you and Mrs. West, of course. Please, please, _pleeease._"

"Let's get to New York first, and then you can call Bruce," Clark allowed. Good enough for me. I'd just wait the whole twenty five minute ride to the Big Apple and obsess over who could have sold me out to the press. I'm sort of leaning towards Kitty's theory of Bianca being the one to inform them. She has a motive…

"Do you really have no idea about who told everyone?" I asked him and stared out the window, watching traffic. It wasn't bad since it was a work day and early in the morning.

"Sorry, Lia. I wish I knew more." Clark took us straight to Mr. Zatara's house. The magician's semi-new member to the League. He's been with them for a few months. I greeted the Italian man. My secret identity isn't as secret among heroes as Bruce's and Dick's. Hey, it's not like they can immediately trace me back to Bruce. I'm sure some people have their suspicions and all, but I haven't confirmed anything. I called Bruce and made sure that he wasn't in any life threatening situations before asking him hastily if I could just do one patrol run with Dick.

"No," Batman stated firmly.

"Please? Bats, I haven't been on any runs in days. It's driving me crazy! Besides, I need to do something. Please? Please? Please?"

"Come on, Batman, let the girl do one round," Clark tried to persuade Batman.

"Absolutely not. I told her that she's not doing anything until she gets those powers of hers under control one hundred percent," Batman replied.

"Ugh! I won't even use my powers! I can control it."

"No."

"Can I at least go to Gotham?"

"No." He's so incredibly stubborn! I'm well enough to go on patrol. I wouldn't even have to do anything except keep an eye out on the city! He and Robin could do all the hard work. I desperately needed to do my daily run, but it's sort of impossible to do that in Bayville. I'm actually surprised that I was able to get out that first time.

"Please? I promise I'll clean the whole Batcave when this is all over. Please?"

There was a pause, and then a defeated sigh. Victory! "Don't forget to get under the mats," Batman said.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Boss, I freaking love you, man!" I exclaimed happily. Clark smirked when I started bobbing up and down excitedly.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I have a meeting to get to, though, and Robin's at school. See if you can help out in Star City. You could use the target practice."

No! No! No! Bad idea; very bad idea! "I can run patrol on my own," I argued. I don't know what's gotten into me today. Arguing with the Batman is not smart, and yet, here I am.

"It'd be better if you worked together with someone. They're going to need help. Doctor Light's terrorizing the city. I think they could use your help," Bruce explained.

"Alright, fine!" I gave in because it's pretty clear that this is the only way I'll be able to get some of the action.

"You'd better hurry up. Batman out," he hung up after that. I'm certain that Clark heard the whole conversation so I didn't even bother to fill him in.

"Mr. Zatara may I use your restroom please?" I asked our host.

"Yes, of course," the man replied. I took my backpack with me into the restroom and quickly changed out of my clothes and into the uniform. My Blackstar ensemble consists of a gray sleeveless tunic with a black star across the chest; black and gray body tight pants; black boots; long gloves, one black and one gray; my yellow utility belt; a yellow holster which I wore on my left thigh, and a domino mask. I pulled my hair back into a ponytail, shoved my clothes into the backpack, and rushed out of the bathroom.

"I'll be at Star City," I informed Clark. "I'll tell Ollie to take me back to the Institute later. Thanks, Clark."

"No problem, Star," Clark replied. "Watch your back."

"Will do," I promised. "Thanks, Mr. Zatara. Mind if I go up to the roof?" I don't think that walking out of the front door dressed up like this is a smart idea.

"Go ahead, Lia. It was nice to see you again," the magician said.

"You too, Mr. Z," I called over my shoulder and ran up the stairs up to the roof. I leapt with agility and grace from roof to roof without missing a beat. Cautiously, I walked to a Zeta-Beam on an out of order bridge in New York City. It's not really out of order; the League just uses it for their own purposes. The Zeta-Beams are the most convenient way to travel from one place to another. It's advanced tech J'onn brought with him to Earth. Zeta-Beams transport a person from one point of entry to another. I took a step onto the bridge, and the transport began.

I reappeared seconds later in a blue police box in Star City. Gotta love alien transport systems. It wasn't hard to find Speedy, GA, and Light. I mean, the man was blasting random crap with beams of light. I saw Speedy and Arrow standing on the street firing explosive arrows at the man. Doctor Light wore a black body suit with a white sun on the chest and a blue cape. He wore white boots and gloves. Uh…is that a dorsal fin on his hat thingy? Strange.

Anyway, I crouched on the edge of a roof at the scene. The two heroes did not seem to be having a good time. I can't blame them. Light's got himself some pretty challenging powers in that suit of his. How do you fight light? I took out a couple stariken and threw them at Doctor Light, giving Speedy and Arrow an opening to attack. I got in closer and took out a retractable bo staff from my belt.

"What are you doing here?" Green Arrow asked me with surprise before firing another arrow.

"I got a day off. Boss sent me to help out here. Looks like you could use it," I commented as Doctor Light fired a beam of yellow-white light at us. I dodged it and threw two stariken at the villain while in mid-air. "What's up, Quick-draw?" I asked Roy playfully. I'm not flirting because I have a boyfriend.

"Can't you keep focused for three seconds?" Speedy grumbled and readied an arrow. He released the arrow at the same time as I threw and explosive stariken. They hit their marks, but that wasn't enough to take Light down.

"Don't you start acting all high and mighty, Mr. Speedy," I scowled.

"Civilians!" Arrow reminded us.

"On it!" I replied and rushed to save a man and child from a flying car by working together with Speedy to push the car out of the way. Are these people really dumb enough to stay in place when they're obviously in a danger zone. I rushed Light from behind while the two archers attacked from the front. I snuck up unnoticed and struck him with the staff. I struck him with enough force to send him slamming into a parked car, denting it.

Well, Light didn't like that. He retaliated by firing discs of light at me. I ducked, dodged, and leapt to avoid getting hit by any of the projectiles. I managed to block some of them with the staff, but I wouldn't be able to keep things up like this without tiring out eventually. "You're a pesky little thing, aren't you?" Doctor Light growled as he advanced on me. I tensed, ready for him to attack. He threw a punch, and I grabbed his wrist. Then I kneed him in the stomach, brought my elbow down on his shoulder, and landed a kick to his side.

The villain stumbled back a few steps. He regained his footing and charged me again with a flurry of punches and kicks. Most of them were ineffective, but I was kept on the defense for the most of it. I was unable to strike back. Then Light blasted me with enough power to send me flying onto the concrete and separate me from my staff. Ugh, that hurt. I got up on my elbow, but Light kicked me, and I rolled back a few more feet. "That all you got, flashlight?" I snarled. The villain closed in on me again, and he moved to punch me while I was down. I used his momentum to roll him over me and pin him down. I got off him and retrieved my staff.

"You look like you could be a pretty thing under that mask of yours," Light smirked and looked over me as he got back onto his feet. Then Speedy fired a punch arrow at Doctor Light, and redirected the man's attention from me to Speedy.

"Hey, Doc!" Green Arrow called from behind the villain. When he turned around, it was too late. Arrow had already let the arrow fly, and it made contact with Light's chest. The arrow released a shock of electricity and fried the suit. Light crumpled to the ground, unconscious. "Lights out." I found the pun to be pretty funny, but Speedy just shook his head at the two of us.

The three of us left the scene and made ourselves pretty comfortable on the roof of a department store. I sat down and leaned against one of the exhaust vents, "How's training going with the guys?"

Speedy stood with his arms crossed, "We're fine. The real question here is, why are you here? Now. On a school day."

"I got into some trouble at school," I replied and crossed my arms defiantly. I don't have to answer to him.

"What happened?" Ollie asked. Okay, him I have to answer to.

"Someone tipped the press about me transferring to Bayville. There were a bunch of reporters at the school. I convinced Batman to let me use the free day to do some patrolling, but he sent me here instead," I filled the archers in. Of course, I left out the bit about my speed demon boyfriend. "Your knee seems better," I noted to change the subject.

Speedy nodded, "It's much better now."

"I gotta get back to work," Ollie announced. "You kids go…uh, take the day off or something. I'll see you at home, Roy."

"Bye, Ollie," I said as Green Arrow fired a zip-line arrow and went on his merry way. Great. Now I'm alone with Speedy. "You should head back to school," I told the other sidekick. Okay, he hates being called a sidekick, but we are what we are.

Roy just shrugged and took off his mask. I looked away so that I wouldn't have to look at his incredibly beautiful blue eyes. Just being around him made me feel guilty. It's not like I'm cheating on Pietro by putting a guy in prison with Roy, but…it's just history. That's all. I'm being stupid. "I think I'll just spend the day with you. When was the last time we actually hung out?"

Hmm…let's see…we haven't hung out by ourselves in months. It's always been all of us, the apprentices, together. I'd love to hang out with Roy, don't get me wrong, but I wouldn't be able to do it now. "I can't remember that far back," I joked.

"Look, Lia, I don't think I've been the greatest friend lately," Roy said apologetically.

"What are you talking about?" I asked confusedly. Roy's been a great friend. He always had my back. We didn't always get along, and we fought a lot, but that doesn't make him a bad friend. In fact, he's done well to preserve our friendship. Between school and training, Roy still made time to be my friend. I know that he didn't feel that anything more than friendship would be able to withstand the demanding schedules superheroes have, and I respect that.

"Oh, come on, Lia, don't play dumb. We've been fighting so much that Batman and Ollie almost never let us team up anymore. Didn't you notice how surprised Ollie was?"

"Well, yeah, but…"

"Lia," Roy was suddenly too close for my liking and I got to my feet and walked to the opposite side of the roof, "You don't have to pretend that you're okay with the way I've been treating you."

Ugh! What the hell's wrong with me? I could talk with him on the phone without feeling so…guilty about Pietro, but face to face, I was freaking out. "Seriously, we're fine," I laughed lightly, trying to convince him that we were. We've managed to go the last few days without having a serious argument about anything.

"Then wanna go back to my place and play video games or something?" Roy offered.

"Yeah, that'd be great," I accepted.

The corners of his mouth quirked up a little bit, "I'll meet you there, then." Then he climbed down the fire escape of the building and disappeared. I shook my head and sighed. Why is this so hard? Roy's my friend, and Pietro's my boyfriend. Neither of them knows about the other. Well, Pietro knows _of_ Roy, just…not his name or what he was to me. I can have a conversation with Roy and joke around with him on the phone, but actually being alone with him made me feel like I was doing something wrong. On my way to his house, I chanted in my head, _He's just a friend. He's just a friend. _Then I started thinking, _There's no reason why he shouldn't like Pietro. There's no reason why Pietro should take this the wrong way._ _He is just a friend. I'll just hang out with Roy and tell Pietro about it when I get back to Bayville…Nothing to worry about. It's not like it's a huge secret or anything._

**_A/N...Sklank - sl*tty skank; credit goes to one of my friends for making this up haha. _****_Who's ready for some Lia/Roy action? I know I am xD Anyway, are there any artists out there who wanna do some art for this story? PM or Review to let me know! Thanks! :) :3 _**

**_Don't forget to vote for which stories I should finish first! ;)_**

**_Dear UniCryin, thanks:) There's going to be more back story on Lia and Pietro eventually. I'm not really sure what class Alpha would be, but she's a class 5. She started out as a Class 4 when her powers first manifested, but she had the League to help her evolve and gain more control than the average Mutant. In her case, it's a good thing that she had Kaldur and his mastery of hydrokinesis._**

**_Skye222AnimeGurl: Thanks for your ideas! I'm still waiting for my other readers (dear other readers, why you no review?) to send in their ideas, and I'm gonna take yours into consideration :) _**


	9. Chapter 9

"Hey, do you want popcorn or something?" Roy asked. He had changed into a pair of dark jeans, a black and red jacket. We were in his and Ollie's house. I had changed into civies at his place just a few minutes ago. The house was nice. Nothing big, but not too small. The living room was next to the kitchen, there was a bathroom on the first floor and one upstairs, there were three rooms upstairs, and the basement was converted into a gym. The living room had a couch, armchair, coffee table, and television. I sat on the battered couch, which had pop stains and tears in the cushions, and looked over the contents of the coffee table. There were magazines, video game cases, DVD cases, and papers cluttering the whole table top. I couldn't see the actual wood of the table under the pile.

"Yeah, thanks," I called back. "Did you guys get Zombie Slaughter Party 2 yet?"

"Are you kidding? Ollie pre-ordered it two months ago," Roy laughed. Beast! Coolest video game ever. How do I know? Because Dick and I played it nonstop before I moved to Bayville.

"Awesome! Then hurry up so we can play!" I quickly cleaned the table and found the game, and by clean, I mean pushing all the contents onto the floor. I put the game into the console and took a controller.

"Okay, okay, calm down," Roy laughed and walked into the room. Even just at home he wore translucent sunglasses in the place of his mask.

"Prepare for domination, Harper," I said as he picked up the other controller and sat on the couch next to me.

"Bring it on, Wayne," Roy gladly accepted the challenge. We chose our weapons. I picked a bo staff, and Roy chose a bow and arrows. Anyone surprised there? Then we started taking down killer zombies. I laughed when a zombie shot Roy's avatar down with a machine gun. He laughed when I walked into a room full of zombies while attempting to hide from one zombie. There was a beep from the kitchen signaling that the popcorn was done.

"Go get it," I told Roy and made my animated little chick behead a zombie by swinging the staff around like a bat. That got me six hundred fifteen points up on Roy.

"No way, you get it," Roy countered, his fingers quickly pressing buttons on his controller. Damn, two-twenty up on me.

"Your house," I reminded him without taking my eyes on the screen. The action on screen was paused and Roy rose to his feet.

"Start without me, and you're dead," Roy warned before walking to the kitchen. I laughed and waited for the guy to walk in with a bowl full of buttery popcorn. I grabbed a handful immediately. "I swear to God, Lia, you eat more than I do."

"Shut up, and start the game!" I exclaimed. I rock at this game, but Roy, unfortunately, is pretty good himself. Competitive as always, Roy got worked up when I tied with him and cocky when he got ahead by a few hundred points.

"So, how's Bayville?" Roy asked.

"It's… dammit!" I shouted when my avatar's brains were eaten. "It's really nice there. I don't wake up every four hours to someone screaming outside. There's a lot less pressure where school's concerned compared to Gotham Academy. My housemates are pretty cool too."

"Sounds great," Roy commented. He hissed a string of curses as a mob of zombies ate his avatar. We didn't take our eyes off the screen for hours. I giggled, and he shoved me. I reached into the half empty popcorn bowl and flicked a piece of popcorn at him. Roy nonchalantly grabbed a handful of popcorn and threw it at me. It was war after that. I dropped my controller, picked up the bowl and dumped its contents over Roy's head. I burst out laughing and started running for the basement.

"Nice look, Harper, maybe I should go with the popcorn look for my next label!" I crowed and jumped down the stairs, nine at a time.

"I'm gonna get you for that!" Roy promised. He chased me around the gym floor ineffectively. I smirked and perched on some equipment.

"You suck at this, Harper," I taunted with a grin. He fired an arrow at me from a work table. I yelped and lost my balance. I should've seen that coming. Then Roy was pinning me down and tickling my sides. I laughed my freaking ass off. "Stop it! Roy! SPEEDY, I SWEAR TO GOD!" My voice had risen to a screech, but Roy didn't let up. I was saved by my phone. Roy got off me, and I wiped tears from the corners of my eyes and stuck my tongue out at the hero. "Heh…" I choked on air and subsiding giggles, "Hello?"

"Angel, where are you?" Pietro asked. I immediately scrambled to my feet, and Roy arched an eyebrow.

"I'm hanging out with a friend. What happened at school? Are you okay? What'd Principal Darkholme say?" I demanded in a rush.

"Whoa, whoa, babe, slow down, breathe," Pietro laughed on the other end of the line. "That Mr. Kent guy cleared out all the reporters. I'm pretty sure that they won't be coming back. I'm fine. And Principal Darkholme complained about the reporters on the property. Nothing big. Good news, though, you can come back for school tomorrow. I was wondering if I can you up for dinner tonight?"

I thought it over and glanced at Roy. He was watching me carefully, and I felt a blush creep up my cheeks. I looked away. I'm really enjoying this day off from training and school…Pietro could do without me for one night, right? "I think I'll have dinner at Bruce's tonight. How about tomorrow?"

"Sure, no problem. Angel, are you alright?" the concern in his voice made my heart melt.

"Pietro, I'm fine," I promised. Roy's blue eyes narrowed behind his shades. "Look, I gotta go. I'll call you later," my voice was gentle and caring. Yup, now I have to explain to Roy. This is gonna be so much _fun._

"Okay, bye, Angel," Pietro said hesitantly before hanging up. I sighed and put my phone back in my pocket.

"Who was that?" Roy asked guardedly. Here we go.

"My boyfriend," I replied honestly, "he's a great guy. I like him a lot." Roy turned away from me and walked to the work table. He put his hands on the table with his back to me.

"Where'd you meet him?" Roy asked in a low voice.

"Indiana. We were kids when we first met. I haven't seen him in years. He's a Mutant, too, a speedster. Even faster than Wally. Not as fast as Flash." I was rambling, and Roy gripped the table until his knuckles turned white.

"How long have the two of you been going out?"

"Four days," I answered. I stood there and waited for Roy to say something. Anything, but he never spoke. "Roy?" I asked tentatively.

"Were you going to tell me?" he whipped around and faced me.

"Of course!" I exclaimed. Well, maybe not immediately. I was sort of going to tell Bruce first, and let him do his background check. "Not that it's any of your business," I stated calmly and crossed my arms across my chest.

"What the hell?! Of course it's my damn business!" Roy shouted angrily.

"Did I miss the memo, then?" I snapped.

"What if this guy's just using you?" Roy demanded, "You're Bruce Wayne's cousin. He probably just wants a direct line to your wallet!"

"So you're just going to assume? You don't even know the guy, Roy!" I shouted.

"Do you?" he countered, "You've only been there for how long, again?"

"That's completely irrelevant!" I snapped. "I like Pietro, and he hasn't given me any good reason not to trust him."

"Yet! I bet you, Thalia, that the guy's only trying to take advantage of you and get in your pants!" That was the last straw. I stared at him in shock that Roy Harper would actually say that to my face. I knew that he wouldn't like it that I have a boyfriend, but I didn't think he'd react like _this._ I sort of figured that he'd get protective; because, he'd get protective of any one of his fellow sidekicks. I spun around and made a break for the door. I don't know what I feel. I don't know if I'm glad that he's not okay with it, but I certainly don't want him to be a jerk about it. He caught himself and shouted after me, "Lia! Lia, wait!" I ignored him, grabbed my bag and started running. Things were going so well. Why the hell did he have to ruin it? Roy has a temper, and he's impulsive, that much isn't a secret. Everyone knows it, but this is just ridiculous. It doesn't matter how much you disapprove of someone going out with your friend, you don't just go around saying crap without getting to know the person first! "Thalia! I'm sorry! I didn't mean that!"

I spun around angrily and faced him with as much rage I could muster, and there is a _lot_ of it. "You completely meant it! God, I can't believe you, Roy! If you didn't mean it, then why did you say it?"

Roy stood silently, and I could practically see the gears turning in his head. "I'm sorry," he finally said without answering the question.

"I'll see you later, Roy, thanks for hanging out with me," I said with a sad, small smile before turning away, leaving the property, and calling Alfred. Well, now that that's over with, now I get to tell Bruce. Then I'd have to tell Pietro about my day with Roy and hope that he doesn't take it badly. I swear to God that I heard him mumble something as I walked away, but I didn't dwell on it. My mind, still in a state of rage, was just playing tricks on me.

I went back to the Zeta-beam point of entry, and stepped in after doing a sweep of my surroundings to make sure that nobody was watching. I was teleported to a back alley phone booth in Gotham. I breathed in that Gotham air and smiled. I was a good distance away from the manor, but luckily, we had Alfred. The balding gray haired butler has been taking care of this family since the beginning. He held the door open to the back of the limo.

"Hello, Miss Thalia," Alfred greeted as I ducked into the car.

"Hey, Alfred," I replied before he shut the door after me and walked around to the driver seat. "Is Bruce home?"

"I'm afraid not, Miss, your cousin is, unfortunately, occupied at work," the butler said apologetically.

"How about Dick?" I asked.

"Master Dick is at school at the moment," Alfred replied. Then he started driving. Oh, right. It's still a school day, and Dick was at school until the Academy gets out at three.

Wayne Manor is the ancestral home of the Wayne family. Countless generations of Waynes have called the manor home, including Bruce and myself. Although, I'm pretty sure that we're the first ones to practically live in the caverns beneath the property. We have a state-of-the-art kitchen, gym, bedrooms, servants' quarters from the earlier days of the family, a library, and a bunch of trinkets we've gathered over the years. The actual building is a three story estate with a red brick exterior and dark blue roof. The window frames, door frames, balconies, and other architectural décor are white. Alfred pulled into the U-shaped drive way and parked. "Welcome home, Miss Lia."

First thing I did was to go up to my room. It was roughly the same size as my room in the Institute. The room had wooden flooring and a blue rose wallpaper. There was an antique rug on the floor under the bed, a wooden desk on the wall across from the bed, a door to a walk-in closet, picture frames hung on every wall, and a few decorations adorned the room.

I jumped onto the bed, which was extremely posh and comfortable, and started planning out ways to tell Batman and Robin about my new found boyfriend. Brainstorming wasn't doing me any good. Each outcome was the same; with Bruce on the Batcomputer going through every record the country has on Pietro Maximoff, and Dick interrogating me. Yup, I just _love _family time.

A little while after three, my adoptive second cousin once removed threw the door to my room open and gaped. Dick still wore his Gotham Academy ensemble. Blue blazer, gray slacks, button down white shirt, red tie, and his hair combed back out of his eyes. "Ever heard of knocking?" I asked mock irritably.

"What are you doing here?" Dick asked.

"Someone told the reporters, and they showed up at school. The prof had Clark take me to Metropolis, and I convinced Bruce to let me get out of my civies for a while. Then, he stuck me with Roy and Ollie. I hung out with Roy all day. Then I got a call from someone back in Bayville, and Roy and I exchanged words. Now here I am," my day in sixty eight words.

"How long are you going to stay?"

I shrugged, "Not long. Just until after dinner. The professor's probably going to send the Blackbird after me." I smirked and added, "Maybe you'll get to meet my new team."

"Speaking of the Mutants," Dick said and leaned back on my desk, crossing his arms across his chest, "how're things with your powers?" I grinned devilishly and took a water bottle from my backpack. Then I opened the cap…and threw it at Dick. Before the liquid could touch him, I focused on suspending the droplets in midair. I'd be lying if I was unsatisfied with my cousin's expression. "Don't do that."

"What?" I asked and laughed, "Dick, dude, you should've seen your face."

Dick rolled his eyes, "Hey, you said something happened between you and Roy…?" Nothing gets past the Boy Wonder. Okay, I admit, I'm jealous. Why don't I get a flattering nickname? Not that Gotham's Shining Star is a bad nickname, it's just not as…gratifying. Anyway, we can get back to my petty jealousies later.

"Oh…did I?"

"Spill it," Dick ordered.

I put my hands up in surrender, "Okay, okay. Promise that you won't tell Wally or Kaldur. I don't want them in on this yet."

"What did you do?" Dick's eyes narrowed suspiciously. Oh my God! Does anybody trust me around here? I'm a Mutant, not on freaking parole!

"Nothing!" I exclaimed defensively.

"So why shouldn't I tell Wally and Kaldur?"

"Because, I don't want Wally on my doorstep in a few hours to talk to me about my love life. I met a guy in Bayville. We met back when Mom and Dad thought that their kid should be some sort of freaky science experiment," I spoke that part a little bit bitterly, just a _little bit_, "but we haven't seen each other in years. Well, we've been hanging out, and after that Juggernaut thing at the Institute…we started going out." I waited for Dick to go into freak mode and start yelling, but he just giggled.

"Ha! I knew something was up! Wally owes me five bucks!"

I glowered at the boy, "You were betting?"

"Yup," Dick grinned widely at me, and I threw a pillow at him. He caught it with one hand. "I knew that I would be right, of course."

"I'm going to get you one of these days, Grayson," I threatened. "I swear. You're going to be sleeping on the couch, and I'm going to rearrange your organs."

Dick just laughed and let himself into my room, "It's that guy you talked about before, isn't it? The one who that girl was bothering you about?" He held his chin thoughtfully between his thumb and index finger. "Hey, if before is what happened earlier, then is what's happening now fore?"

I threw another pillow at him again, and he caught it with the hand holding his chin, "Didn't I get you a dictionary last Christmas?" I'm pretty sure that I got the kid a dictionary last Christmas to break him of that habit of his; apparently, he hasn't been using it. Dick shrugged nonchalantly.

"So, who is he?"

Okay, here comes the part I'm praying goes smoothly. If Pietro doesn't get Robin's approval, then he's basically screwed. Because if Robin doesn't approve of my boyfriend, there's no way that Batman's gonna like him. I need to get Dick on my side; I've learned from experience that it's always good to have backup.

I could make up an intricate lie about Pietro. Tell my family that he's a rich kid with good manners and a future in law, but there's no reason why I should go through all the trouble. Even if they don't like Pietro, that's not going to change anything. Could be worse…I _could _be with Icicle Jr. "Pietro Maximoff. Mutant. He's Bayville's local punk. Speedster, faster than KF, but slower that Flash. Compared to Roy…Bruce is _not _going to like this," I said.

"I don't like where this is going," Dick remarked.

I continued, ignoring him, "So I need a really big favor. Can you help me out here? Try to help me convince Bruce that going out with this guy isn't so bad?"

"I don't know, Lia," Dick said tentatively. "If the guy's trouble…"

"He _is_," I confirmed. Hey, no point in denying it. "He's got a one way ticket to Belle Reve. Just like any other metahuman punk."

"And you're with him…why?" the younger boy asked. No matter how brilliant Dick is for his age, I don't expect him to understand why I – one of Batman's two vigilante protégés – would want to go out with Pietro – the local villain with no prospects for the future.

"I don't know, Dick," I sighed. "It's like he doesn't care about who I am. When I'm with him, I'm not Blackstar, or Flashflood, or even Thalia Wayne. I'm just Lia. We just have fun. No training, no fighting, no masks…"

Dick nodded thoughtfully as he analyzed everything I had just said, "So, he makes you feel normal." Exactly! I don't have to be on edge about him finding out about my mutation or anything like that. Since I'm suspended from training with Bruce, there's no trouble there. Plus, I don't really think that Pietro's smart enough to figure it out.

"I guess so, but it'd not just that. He likes me for me." Corny, I know, but it's true. Being a Mutant is something Roy's never going to understand, but Pietro knows what it's like.

"I'm not so sure, Thalia," Dick said. "Maybe we should check the guy out first."

"Don't you dare," I warned, anticipating what he would do next. A childish giggle escaped him and he raced out of my room, headed straight for the Batcomputer in the caverns below. "Richard!"  
I shrieked and ran after him.

"What? Sorry, Lia, can't hear you," he called without looking back or slowing down.

"No running," Alfred said without much conviction as I chased Dick through the library.

I ignored our favorite – only – butler and shouted after Dick, "Richard Grayson! Get back here!" Dick just laughed and jumped over the couch. The kid was really pushing it. I'm on the verge of suspending his body right then and there with my powers. Did I say on the verge? Whoops. I extended my hand and Dick was stuck in place. I smirked at the kid.

"No fair!" Dick complained as I approached him.

"Dick, seriously, I need you to help me out. Please?" I pleaded and released my control over him only to grab the boy's shoulder and glare down at him. Dick contemplated it for a second before sighing and putting his hands up in surrender.

"Fine, but Bruce is _not_ going to like this."

I squealed and hugged him tightly, "You are the best! I owe you one!"

"Oh, I know."

_A/N...Roy is piiiiiisssed! Haha, next up...Lia tells Bruce. Oh my goodness! Thanks for all the support. I can't believe reviews are in the double digits. Keep sharing your thoughts, don't be shy :) I'm still looking for someone to draw out Thalia! If any of you want to try your hand at it, please let me know! _

_Dear readers, please go on youtube and look up my friend Bella Navarro. She's an amazing singer, and I hope you guys all enjoy her talents. _

_Thanks you guys. You rock!_


	10. Chapter 10

Bruce came home sometime around eight, and the three of us sat at the long table for dinner as usual. It was like we always had before the whole Mutant thing happened. "Want to tell me _why_ I was called by the Bugle, the Daily Planet, the Daily Globe, and the Daily Herald, the Gotham Herald, Gotham News, the Tattler, GBS, and just about every other major news organization in the country?" Bruce asked casually, but he didn't sound too happy about it.

"Someone tattled," I answered. "I'm glad that Clark was there. Principal Darkholme doesn't seem to like me. Although, I can't see why. I'm adorable."

"Did you look into it?" Gotham's very own Sherlock asked me.

"Didn't have time," I lied. I had time, but I chose to spend it with Speedy. Ha, look how well that turned out. Bruce ignored my obvious excuse. Dick picked at his food, waiting for it to be his turn.

"How's training?" Bruce asked next.

"It's going okay. The other students barely know what they're doing, and they don't even go on patrol," it sort of sounded as if I was complaining.

"It's just a school, Lia," Dick reminded me. "They aren't professionals."

"And I never will be unless I start training again!" I exclaimed. As much as I love the X-Men, I'm always going to be drawn to the actual operations. These high school skirmishes don't make the cut.

"Are things at the Institute really that bad?" Bruce asked. Dick snickered, and I flicked my wrist at him. The water in his glass flew into his face. He glared at me, and I returned it with the message, _Do not slip up._ Too bad I'm not a telepath.

"It's nice there. I actually like it," I admitted, "plus…"

Dick interrupted, coughing to cover up his words, "Lia has a boyfriend." You don't have to be an expert at deciphering hidden contexts to understand the boy. I kicked him under the table, and he yelped. Bruce raised an eyebrow questioningly at me. Bruce has always been okay with the inevitable fact that I'm going to get a boyfriend sooner or later. Well, he was fine with Roy because…Roy's just… _Roy_. No other way to put it. I'm just worried because Pietro has a known criminal record.

"Oh. Who is he?" Bruce asked conversationally. Haha, I know exactly what he's doing. I answer his question and he pulls out a PDA under the table and searches the country's records on the guy.

"Pietro Maximoff," I answered and waited for the interrogation to begin.

"Where'd you meet him?" Bruce continued, "Is he from the Institute?"

"I met him back in Indiana. He's living in Bayville now at a different boarding house, but he _is _a Mutant," I answered, watching Bruce as carefully as he was watching me. This is where he asks more about my boyfriend, and I end up telling him that Pietro's a teen delinquent.

"I see. Does he go to school with you?"

"At the Institute? No. He's in one of my classes at Bayville High," I said, straight to the point. I feel no reason to waste my time dodging Bruce's questioning. Trust me, after years of trying that method, I've learned that it does _not _work out in this household.

"Does he do any sports? A job after school?" this question must've brought something to Bruce's attention, "How old is he?"

"No, no, and sixteen," I answered each question in order.

"Sixteen?" Bruce asked suspiciously.

"Same age as Roy," I reminded him, "only a year older than me."

"And how are his academics?" This is where it goes downhill.

"Not so great," I admitted.

"Oh, it gets better," Dick sniggered across the table.

"Shut up," I snapped. He is so not helping.

"What's he talking about, Lia?" Bruce asked.

"Pietro's…" now how do I tell my legal guardian that my boyfriend's pretty much a criminal? "a bit of a rebel." Bruce raised an eyebrow questioningly. Okay, I'm not usually into bad boys, and Bruce knows that. This is where I need help in softening the blow, but Dick's made it clear that we have very different ideas of the term 'help me out'. I guess that I'm gonna be doing this on my own, "He's just a wannabe, nothing too serious. He doesn't handle authority well, and he had a rough time growing up."

Bruce nodded in understanding, "Go on."

"Keep in mind that I am your flesh and blood and you love me dearly," I said quickly before possibly murdering my relationship with Pietro. "He's gotten into some trouble with the cops for vandalism on two accounts. First he messed up a hall of lockers in New York, and then he screwed up a whole street in Bayville."

Bruce nodded to himself a couple times before turning to Alfred, "Did you know about this?"

The older man shrugged, "I'd rather not get involved in your family matters, sir."

"I know how it sounds," I said, "but Pietro really isn't a bad guy. He just does incredibly stupid things."

"Lia, this is not a good idea," Bruce stated. I figured as much. "This kid sounds like trouble, and you don't like trouble."

"Correction," I interrupted before he could go on, "I don't like getting _in _trouble. I like trouble. Trouble's fun. Trouble put me in a mask and gave me a night job. Trouble keeps things interesting."

"Trouble also ends up destroying streets, cities, countries… _people_ get hurt because of trouble," Bruce said sternly. My cousin was trying to stare me down and make me see reason. Ha, good luck with that, Brucey.

"That's why we're here," I stated in a tone that mirrored Batman's seriousness. I held my cousin's gaze without backing down. It's true, though. It _is _why we are the way we are. When trouble starts acting up, who's there to bring back the order? Who's there to make sure that nobody gets hurt? That's right, we are. Us, the heroes and sidekicks.

"She has a point," Dick agreed. Bruce turned his attention to his son. "I already tried to do a full background check on the guy…Lia wouldn't let me."

"With good reason," I scoffed, "you totally would've gone and blabbed everything to Bruce."

"Would not!" Dick argued.

"Would too!" I shot back.

"You two are going to give me a headache," Bruce snapped and took a deep breath as Dick and I glared at each other from across the table. It must suck for Bruce, having to be the single dad and all. On the bright side, Dick and I are mature for our ages…most of the time. "Look, Thalia, I'm sure that this young man must've done something for you to enjoy his company so much that you would commit to a relationship with him, but as your guardian and mentor, I have to say that I strongly suggest that we do a thorough search of this young man."

"You've got to be kidding me!" I exclaimed incredulously. "There is absolutely no reason for you to search my boyfriend!"

"Well, actually…" Dick started with what I recognized to be a smart-ass comment.

I cut him off, "Shut it, Grayson."

"From what I gather," Bruce said ominously, "Pietro Maximoff could prove to be a liability to your safety, reputation, and overall well-being."

"Trust me, if anything, my big mouth is the only liability to my safety, rep, and well-being," I scoffed.

"Oooh," Dick piped up, "another good point, Lia." I rolled my eyes, _now _he's helping out some.

"I'm not going to judge the boy before I actually meet him," Bruce stated. I felt a surge of hope in my chest. Why? Because my favorite cousin is stating that he isn't going to do anything too drastic before he gets to know my boyfriend. Then I thought, _Oh, crap. He wants to _meet _Pietro._

"Are you sure about that?" I asked him.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be? I want to meet this young man," Bruce said firmly. Well, damn. It's not that I'm ashamed of Pietro, but I don't know if I'm ready to bring him to meet the Dark Knight and Boy Wonder. Would you want to bring _your _boyfriend home to a house full of detectives?

"Bruce, when would you find time for this?" I asked reasonably, "When you aren't working, you're saving Gotham. Let's be realistic. Pietro and I both have school."

"Oh, I'm sure he already thought ahead," Dick snickered, enjoying this. I flicked my wrist again, and he was attacked by a mini geyser.

"Feel. My. Wrath. Circus. Boy," I said slowly.

"Okay, Lia, that's enough," Bruce said tiredly. I relented and Dick used his napkin to dry his now soaked face. That's what he gets! "Anyway, we're going to be hosting a benefit in a few weeks. You should bring Pietro with you."

"Is that the best idea?" I asked incredulously. "You _really_ want me to bring my delinquent Mutant boyfriend home to a benefit?" A benefit that's probably going to be covered by the media. He must think this is funny; Dick obviously does.

"Why not?" Bruce shrugged, "I don't see any reason why not." The problem with that is neither could I. It was the perfect opportunity for Bruce to meet Pietro, but would Tro be ready to meet Bruce?

"Who's going to be there?" I asked.

"Just a few people we know," Bruce replied casually.

"Such as?" I narrowed my eyes. Bruce's stalling. Why is he stalling? Bruce doesn't stall. Uh-oh.

"Tony Stark, Norman Osborn, Lex Luthor…" Wait, hold on. What? He did not just…

"You're crazy. You want me to introduce my boyfriend, a frickin' _Mutant_, to Lex Luthor, aka the psychopath running the genetics screw up I like to call Cadmus?" I all but screamed.

"Well, when you put it _that _way," Dick muttered.

"_I _can't even stand being anywhere near that man! You honestly think I'm going to subject my _boyfriend_ to that creep?" I demanded in outrage. I know Pietro's father, and there's no way I'd let Pietro _near _any other freaky geneticist psycho, much less one who isn't his father.

"Then he doesn't have to speak to him," Bruce stated. I get the feeling that Bruce is going to be nothing more or less than polite to Luthor. Dick's probably just going to lock himself away in his room or stay over at Wally's.

Ugh, I see no way out of this, and Bruce knows it. He's dead set on me bringing Pietro home with me. "Fair enough," I grumbled dejectedly. Then I got a text from Kitty, letting me know that it's safe for me to go back to the Institute. I relayed this information to Bruce and Dick.

"Aww, and things were just getting fun around here," Dick complained. I smirked and ruffled his hair.

"Maybe next weekend, kid," I said and pulled him into a hug. The boy hugged me back briefly before quickly letting go and running up to his room, muttering something about 'gross cousin cooties'. I snickered, a genius kid like Dick could still be embarrassed by his big cousin's hug.

"Watch your back," Bruce warned.

"You too," I replied with a nod of my head, "I wouldn't want to have to bail your ass out of any _trouble._"

"I just spent the last hour clearing up any misunderstandings with the press on _your _behalf. Do you really want to say that?" Bruce arched an eyebrow.

"You're right. Thanks," I said gratefully. Where would I be without him? "You're the best, Bruce, I'll see you later."

"Yeah. Don't forget to call your mom every once in a while. Let her know how you're doing," Bruce reminded me. I scoffed; my mother might as well not exist. Ever since they got rid of me, I'm willing to bet that I haven't been all that missed at all.

"Whatever."

"Hey, I'm serious, Thalia, call your parents," Bruce said sternly.

"Yes, sir," I sighed. Then I hugged my cousin good-bye before going outside where the Blackbird was hovering over the manor. Well, that wasn't that bad. It was much better than Roy freaking out.

**_A/N...Sorry that it's so short! I'm a little busy right now, but I'll try to update as soon as possible. Thanks for all the support. Did everyone like the Batfamily arc? Anyway, who's ready to go back to Bayville? I know I am! Does anyone know where I can find Young Justice episodes online for free without dowloading anything? _**

**_I'm still looking for someone to draw Lia out! Artists, let me know if you're interested! _**

**_Who do you want to see Lia with? Roy or Pietro? :O (keep in mind that your answers will not affect the story I have planned out) _**


	11. Chapter 11

It was nice of Ms. Monroe to fly me back to Bayville in the Blackbird. I've gotta admit, that is one _sweet _jet. Anyway, Ms. Monroe explained to me that the Professor had everything worked out, and the reporters shouldn't be coming after me anytime soon. Thank God. We got back pretty early, and I decided to take a shower and change into pajamas.

How would I tell Pietro about the benefit? There's no way that Pietro's the kind of guy who would go to this kind of thing. I feel like I've unleashed the Spanish Inquisition on him. What I did was much worse than that. I unleashed Batman and Robin, and I'm willing to bet that Roy's throwing a temper tantrum as well. What is Bruce thinking? Does he really want me to invite Pietro Maximoff to a benefit in Gotham?

I can picture it now. Pietro enjoying himself some small talk with Lex Luthor. I can just imagine what Tony Stark would be saying. God, I'd never be able to get him to shut up! Yes, I'm aware that he is Iron Man. No, I've never fought side by side with Iron Man. I know about S.H.I.E.L.D., but the League doesn't associate with them. We don't work for the United States government.

"So how was it?" Kitty asked me much later on after we returned to Bayville. Kitty, Rogue, and I were hanging out in their room. Rogue was on the phone talking about some book while Kitty and I talked. Apparently, Rogue's into supernatural stuff.

I shrugged, "Nothing too unusual. I told Bruce about Pietro."

Kitty gasped and her hand flew to her mouth in shock, "Ohmigosh! What did he say? When did this happen?"

"Earlier tonight. He was actually pretty cool about it. Well, as cool as Bruce can be about me dating a rebel. He said that I should invite Pietro to the next benefit in Gotham," I replied carelessly. Okay. Time to play a riveting game of two truths and a lie. I don't give a crap about who does or doesn't hear what I'm saying, I'm totally cool about introducing my boyfriend to Bruce, and I really just want to go to sleep. Truth, lie, and truth.

"Can I come?" Kitty exclaimed before she could restrain herself. I laughed lightly at her enthusiasm.

"It's not as fun as the press makes it look. I'm actually pretty bored most of the time," I admitted. Trust me, anything formal isn't my idea of a good time. Well, with our luck, someone usually gate crashes the party. Then the real action takes place. I stretched my arms out and yawned tiredly. This was a pretty exhausting day, and I'm sort of out of practice. Should get out into the field more often.

"Yeah, we should go to sleep," Kitty smirked. I got out of the chair next to her bed and headed for the door.

"Night, girls. Sweet dreams," I bid them before waving and walking down to my bedroom. I couldn't help checking my phone after I got into bed for any messages from Roy. There was one. The entire time he only sent me one message. I guess I can't really blame him for not wanting to talk to me; oh, wait, I can! He ended things with me; therefore, he has no right to be upset.

The message consisted of one word. Sorry. It made my eyes water up because Roy almost never admitted that he was wrong. Dammit! I'm too emotional. Bruce always says that we're in control of our emotions. I disagree. Our emotions can't be controlled. They can be suppressed, hidden, put away, but they can't be controlled. What am I feeling? Frustration, regret, anger, sadness, sleepy, confused, like punching someone. All of the above? Too many questions. Screw this, I'm going to sleep.

I swear that I only closed my eyes for a second only to be reawakened by a scream coming from down the hall. It was the middle of the night. I was immediately on my feet and speed walking to the source. It was Rogue, I recognized her voice. My thoughts turned to the worst case scenario. Somewhere in between a hostile takeover and break-in. I saw Jean and Scott walking towards the door too, but I was faster.

"Rogue, are you alright? What happened?" Scott asked worriedly after I threw the door open. The three of us all walked into the room. It didn't look as if something terrible had happened. That's good.

Rogue was sitting up in bed with her face buried in her hands. Kitty was standing by the girl's bed, "I…I don't know. I was dreaming. Some kind of awful nightmare. Wi-with these images. It was horrible." Her voice had dimmed to a horrified whisper.

"Yeah, her shrieking totally freaked me out," Kitty agreed. "I just about phased through the bed."

"Whoa," Scott said, "finals must be really getting to you."

"No," Rogue objected and looked up at us, "it's not the first time. I've had this dream before. They started when I moved to the Institute." I had no idea about what happened to Rogue before she moved to the Institute other than what I've picked up on. She was a southern girl who developed extremely dangerous mutant powers, joined the wrong side, had a change of heart, and now here she is. Then, Kurt and Evan joined us.

"What's going on, man?" Evan asked drowsily. I rolled my eyes, such great minutemen. "Are you guys okay?"

"Yeah," I answered, "Rogue's having a pretty bad nightmare."

"What about?" Blue, fuzzy Kurt asked.

"I'm not sure," Rogue said, "there's, uh, a castle, and wolves, and…oh, that poor baby!" she sounded so...unlike herself. The Rogue I'm used to seeing doesn't exactly have much of a soft side. Seeing her like this concerned me, and everyone else by the looks of it. Jean was standing in next to Rogue with her hand on the girl's back with that _I'm here for you_ look on her face, "I didn't really see his face, but I seem to know…to know him somehow." She turned to look up…straight at me. All eyes followed her gaze. I put my hands up innocently to show that I definitely do not have experience with wolves or castles or babies. Then I stepped aside and looked back at Kurt, who was standing behind me.

"What?" the German asked cluelessly, "Why you looking at me like that? What's wrong?"

"It was you!" Rogue said in realization.

"What was me?" Kurt pressed unknowingly.

"Somehow, I just know…It was you, Kurt!" Rogue exclaimed.

"What are you talking about?" Kurt took a step back.

Rogue looked him straight in the eyes, "In the dream, there was a baby cryin', cryin'. S-s-s-someone, a woman, I think, I didn't really see her face, was running, and she…and the baby…was dropped into the river." Rogue buried her face in her hands again.

I looked over at Kurt. "And you think that baby was me?" he asked in surprise.

"No, she thinks the baby was Lex Luthor," I said sarcastically. Jean sent me a death-glare that I shrugged off.

Rogue groaned in frustration, "Why am I having this dream?!"

"Maybe the professor can help us sort this out," Jean suggested gently, "but let's do this in the morning. It's getting pretty late."

_That's alright, Jean, this is important. Rogue and Kurt, please come into the library with Jean and the rest of you, try to get some sleep. In case you've forgotten, you all have finals tomorrow. Including you, Thalia. _We all looked up as Professor X's voice spoke into our heads. We started to walk out together.

"Does anything get past that man?" I asked Evan as we exited the room.

He shook his head and shrugged, "Man, there's no keeping anything from that dude, is there?"

"Guess not," I said and yawned. "G'night." I wanted to know what they were going to talk about. It's my job to know things, but in a house with one of the most powerful telepaths in the world, I can wait for Rogue to fill me in later. So I went back to my room and laid down in bed, staring up at the ceiling.

I couldn't go back to sleep. I know that I probably should've gone back to sleep, what with finals tomorrow and everything. Finals. I barely even studied, but I can manage. I reached for my phone. There was another text, from Roy.

**Call me, I'm sorry** was all the message said. I guessed on what he had probably done after I had left. He probably shot some arrows, put some thugs in jail, and gone speeding around Star City. I shouldn't be feeling bad because Roy's acting up, but I do. Roy's my friend, and I trust him with my life. Heroes….we have problems too.

Sleep that night came like a relief to me, only to be torn away from me by my dumbass alarm clock. I groaned and rolled onto the floor, crawling on my stomach to the closet. Okay, not one of my finest moments, I know.

**_A/N...Ohmigosh! I'm so sorry that this update is so late! I've been busy with school, and I had major writer's block. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chappie. So far, everyone wants Lia to end up with Pietro. Poor Roy! Did anyone see the newest episode? :O Roy without shades 3  
Alright, I still have to get through the whole X-men portion of this story before I get to the time when they form the Team.  
Thanks for all the support :D remember, reviews=motivation. Oh, I'm still looking for someone to do pictures for the story. _**


	12. Chapter 12

Finals could not have been any more boring. A full hour and a half of nothing but testing. It was terrible, and the whole time I was too busy thinking about my fight with Roy. Everything was so much more dramatic than it should be. Roy, Pietro, Mutants, the League…it's all too much. I guess that's why there are so few of us who do this hero business in the long-run.

After I got out of my last class, I went straight for my locker. I took out what I would need to cram for tomorrow's tests. Pietro appeared seemingly out of nowhere. "Hey, Angel," he greeted. "What're you doing later?"

"I have to cram," I said sadly. "I didn't have enough time to yesterday." Yeah, getting ratted out to the press will do that.

"Oh, that sucks. Why do you even bother? You're too smart for this," he said knowingly. I rolled my eyes and closed the locker. So Pietro figures that I'm smarter than most kids. Nothing to worry about. A lot of people know this.

I laughed, "Some of us are planning on college after this."

"Yeah, I get you," he said, but he continued. "But what's it gonna matter when people find out about the M-U-T-A-N-T-S?"

"Shhh," I snapped and looked around if anyone heard him. He smirked triumphantly at my reaction. "It's not funny. Don't talk about that here."

"You X-Men always get so worked up over nothing," he said. I glared at him, but then he put an arm around me affectionately. "So how was it at your cousin's?" Pietro asked as we wandered the halls wasting time.

I shrugged, "It was okay. Dick was being a little idiot, but he's always like that. Bruce doesn't seem too upset about the thing yesterday morning."

"Oh. That's great," Pietro said a little hesitantly. I smiled a little bit to myself. He wanted to say something, but he just wouldn't spit it out. That's something new. When Pietro Maximoff can't say what's on his mind…he didn't have to say it though. I know what he was thinking. Bruce can be an intimidating person, and he's definitely not someone whose bad side you want to be on. It was kind of cute how Pietro's being all flustered.

I laughed lightly, "What's wrong?"

"Huh?" he flashed a boyish grin, "What? Nothing. I'm fine."

"'Tro," I said sternly in that warning voice Bruce uses when he reads my mind and knows I'm about to do something stupid. Yeah, my family's weird like that.

Pietro sighed and ran a hand through his silvery hair. "Does he know…about me?"

"He knows," I replied nonchalantly. _He's probably pulled up your criminal record by now too,_ I added silently. Detectives…what're you gonna do?

He sped around me, put his hands on my shoulders and stopped me from walking, "Angel, what did he say?" The subtle note of desperation in his voice kind of made me giggle. I didn't know that he could sound this concerned about my cousin's approval. "Don't laugh at me, Lia."

"He's fine with it," I assured the mutant. Okay, okay. I know. I didn't tell him that Bruce wants to meet him. Don't get on my case about it. The thing isn't for another few weeks. I have time.

"But what did he _say?_" Pietro pressed.

I saw Kurt and Rogue walking down the hall, and in them, I saw my way out. I'll tell Pietro about it eventually. I'm doing this for his own good. I do not want to expose my boyfriend to Lex freaking Luthor. The _stories _Superman can tell about that man. Oh, and I'm not running away. Ha, of course not. "Don't worry," I put my hands on his and removed them from my shoulders. I smiled at him in an attempt to get him to calm down, "I gotta go. I'll see you later." He pulled me into a quick hug before I went to the others.

"Whenever the subject of where I came from came up, they were always vague and never mentioned anything like the stuff in your dream," Kurt was telling her.

"Maybe they didn't know," Rogue suggested, "or, maybe, they were just trying to protect you."

Kurt snapped, "How? By hiding my own past from me?"

"Kurt," Rogue tried to say.

"Kurt, you have to think about this from their perspective," I said reasonably. "I'm sure that if you just talked to them…"

"Easy for you to say. You know exactly where you came from. Listen, maybe you can live without knowing, but I've got to know the truth about my life." He pressed a switch on his projector, and the human image faded. "I'm outta here," he said before teleporting away.

"Well, that was dramatic," I said with a sigh.

"Man, what was that about?" Scott asked with Jean in tow.

"He's still really worked up about last night," Rogue answered.

"Can't blame him," I remarked. "This could answer all the questions he has about who he is." I don't understand what he's going through. He's right. I know exactly where I come from. I can trace the Wayne family tree back at least nine generations, but I've seen what being without a sense of identity can do to you. Hell, most of the people in my life parade around in tights and masks. I don't know what he's looking for, but something tells me that he won't find it in his search. At least, not now.

"Aah, well, we better go find him," Scott said.

"He probably went back to the Institute," I suggested.

Jean sighed, "Poor Kurt. This must be a shock to him."

"Really?" Sarcasm dripped from my voice, "This is the only lead he has to his biological family he's had in the last fifteen years of his life. Wouldn't you want to know if you were him?"

"Well, yeah…" Jean started, a little bit surprised with the heat in my tone.

"You don't know what it's like," Rogue said quietly, "not knowing where you come from."

_No, I don't_, I thought to myself. My entire life I've had my parents, Bruce, and Alfred. My parents may have made some poor choices in raising me, and they definitely wouldn't win parent of the year award, but I know them. I know that their work will always come first, and for most of my life I was just another part of their work. Bruce and Alfred always took care of me. They always made up for what my parents were lacking. I never missed out on anything because of them. Now, Bruce is training me to be a hero. I guess I sort of idolize my cousin in a way. Honestly, I don't know who or what I'd be without him.

I feel kind of bad for him. I wonder if he's looking for a huge defining moment. Like, if he finds out who his biological parents are, he's suddenly going to know exactly who he is and what he's supposed to do. If that's what he's looking for, then he won't find it. We aren't defined by our relatives or who raised us. I know that much. Kurt's biological mother can't tell him who he is, and my mother can't tell me who I am.

We kind of just dispersed when we got to the mansion. I found Kitty in the foyer, and I decided to hang out while the others went to find Kurt. "Hey," I greeted and jumped into the arm chair next to the couch.

"Hi," she said cheerfully, "how were finals?"

I gave her a thumbs up, "I'm feeling confident. You?"

"Same," she agreed. "Did you talk to Pietro yet?"

Well, I did speak with him… "Yeah, sorta," I replied.

"And?" Kitty pressed. "Come on, you have to give me the details. Like, what'd he say?"

"Well, I didn't exactly let him know that Bruce wants to meet him yet, but I'm planning on telling him eventually. What are you reading?" I asked her, efficiently changing the subject.

"I really have no idea," she laughed. "Like, I'm supposed to read it for English or something, but it's, like, for summer or something like that." Kitty may not seem like it at first glance, but she has the makings of a genius. She does things like this all the time. Reading ahead and hardcore studying.

"Ew," I laughed.

"Oh, shut up. When you're rushing to get this done, I'm going to laugh," she teased.

"Speaking of procrastination," I said, "I'm going to go see if I can get any cramming in before the week ends." I heard her laughing at me as I walked up the stairs. Okay, I didn't actually plan on studying for anything. I might as well call Roy and get it over with or something. It's a pretty tough choice. Studying or Speedy… I gave up and just settled on playing some video games on my computer. Why not, right?

Do you ever lose your sense of time? I'm pretty sure I played from as soon as I got back from school to sundown. The only thing that took my attention off the game was a knock at my door. When I got up to answer it, nobody was there, but when I turned around… Pietro was lying on my bed going through my laptop.

"I figured I would drop by and say hello," he said without looking up.

"Very funny," I said and crossed my arms in front of me. "Now what are you really doing here?" I get that feeling in my gut telling me that something's about to go down, and I'm not going to like it.

"Nothing special," he said mischievously. I rolled my eyes. He's up to no good. I'm absolutely sure of it. One second he's browsing my computer, and the next he's giving me a peck on the cheek. "Well, I gotta go now. I'll see you around." Then he was gone and my door was left wide open.

As much as I like Pietro, I left the room to tell the Professor that Quicksilver broke into the mansion. When I turned the hall, Scott passed by. "Hey, Lia, Kurt disappeared. The professor needs us to look for clues," he said. Why do I get the feeling that Pietro had something to do with this?

"Yeah, okay."

"You go ahead. I'm going to go find Jean." I nodded and went down to Kurt's room. I wonder if this has anything to do with the dream Rogue had. How does Pietro tie into all of this? I don't get it. Kurt knows better than to just disappear without telling someone. He would've gone to me or Evan or Kitty or Rogue. I started to look around for anything that could lead me to the German. It's not like there'd be much to go on.

I went through his desk and scanned every document. I learned a few things about my friend today. First of all, he's dead set on finding out about his biological family. Secondly, he's pretty organized for a guy. Thirdly, he failed a government test two weeks ago. Anyway, I found a nice little note in his drawer. "Hmm, what do we have here?" I asked aloud. It was a short letter. Apparently, if Kurt wants to know the truth, he's going to be at the new mall construction site by sundown. I looked up when I heard the door open.

"So, what're we looking for?" Jean asked when she and Scott came in. Naturally I wandered to the corner of the room by then, and they overlooked my presence. I don't get it. Obviously Pietro was the one to deliver the message, but who would send it? It's not some huge kidnapping, and the pieces were starting to fit together in my mind.

"I'm not sure, Professor X seems to think Kurt may have had a visit from Pietro this afternoon," Scott answered from by the window. I rolled my eyes. Of course Pietro had a reason for breaking and entering.

"Quicksilver? Here? But, how?" Jean asked. _No, Aquaman,_ I thought to myself. Sometimes you just have to spell things out for people.

"Hey, you know how fast that dude moves," Scott said, messing with the stereo as if an old cassette would give him a clue "And, I guess he could get through the mansion's security with no problem."

"Stop messing with that thing," I said to Scott as he put the tape back where he found it. They both looked up with surprise.

"Thalia," Jean sort of yelped. "I didn't…"

"See me?" I finished, "Yeah, I noticed. I found this in his drawer." I handed Scott the paper. Jean looked over his shoulder while he read it.

"Oh, no," Jean gasped.

"Get the others. We gotta move," Scott ordered. The three of us left Kurt's room in search of the rest of the team.

"Why didn't you say something sooner?" Jean demanded with an accusatory edge to her voice. The Professor instructed us to suit up and go after Kurt. Cyclops, Shadowcat, Rogue, Spyke, Jean, and I were all in the car rushing to get there before something bad happens.

"I was thinking," I replied smoothly.

"And?" Scott asked. I could see the look that crossed Rogue's face. She was distressed, and I can't blame her. Kurt's one of us. I don't know how the others would take the truth. Some people just aren't as understanding.

"I came up short," I lied. "Come on. We better hurry."

The construction site was lacking in people. Good place to stage a rendezvous. The equipment was there, and some frame work was up. The first thing I saw when we parked was that Kurt was outnumbered. The Brotherhood was ganging up on him, and away from the action was Mystique dressed in a shapeless brown robe.

Kurt was knocked down from the frame work by the crane Toad was hanging on. The X-Men and I got out of the car as fast as we could and ran to assist our team mate. The Brotherhood mutants surrounded Kurt.

"Huh, that was easy," Pietro remarked looking down at him.

"Wrong!" Scott exclaimed, "It just got harder."

"Get 'em!" Toad shouted and they charged at us. Toad's tongue flew out at Spyke, and it fell short. He tried again, and it wrapped around a bony staff he created from his arm.

"Hey, wart man! Lick this!" Spyke turned and threw the toad over his head screaming. Thankfully there was a pile of discarded items to break his fall. Blob charged Shadowcat with a battle cry. I just shook my head when she phased right through him and he got himself stuck into one of those cement things. I flipped the switch, and the machine started to rotate. Blob shouted his protest.

"Huh? Sorry, can't hear you," I chuckled and went on to check on Kurt. The poor guy was still unconscious. Jean was hovering above him; it looked like she was trying to rouse him.

Avalanche stepped in front of us, and he rolled his eyes back and stomped his foot on the ground. The entire ground shook and debris fell from the new structure. "Time to rock and roll," he smirked. Ugh, quite the catch phrase.

"Rock and roll _this_, creep," Rogue said before tackling him.

The only one with trouble seemed to be Cyclops. When is he going to learn that he can't hit a target moving as fast as Quicksilver? I figure that one of us is going to have to help him out. Quicksilver was literally running circles around him. The silver haired mutant would stop and mock him before getting away before getting blasted. I heard Quicksilver's laughter and saw Cyclops recoil from a hit. "Jean! I could use a little help here," Scott called.

"I got it," I told the telekinetic who was supporting the half-conscious blue fuzz ball. I extended my hand and got a lock on the water in the speedster's body. With a little effort, I got him to rise off the ground without causing any damage to his internal organs.

"Hey! No fair!" Quicksilver complained before squarely getting shot by Cyclops' laser. He landed in a heap of sand and dust though.

"Sorry!" I called out to him. "Rogue!" I shouted out. Mystique was getting away.

"Over there!" Jean pointed out.

"I see her," Rogue answered and raced after the woman. I saw that some words were exchanged, and Mystique turned away from Rogue. Rogue used the powers she absorbed from Avalanche to cause a tremor. The wrecking ball shook back and forth, and Mystique took on the form of a crow and flew away.

I took a shower when we got back to the mansion to get off all the sweat and dirt from the construction site. It must've been a tough day on Kurt. The poor guy's mother was Mystique. I have to hand it to her, though, she did try to reach out to him. If anything, this whole screw-up was Pietro's fault. Well, maybe not his alone. It was a lot to think about for one night.

The next morning, I decided to pay Kurt a visit. I know that Jean, Logan, and Scott were all talking to the professor before school started. I guess they were talking about the whole incident from the previous day. I passed Rogue on her way out.

"So…you figured it out," she said slowly. I'm pretty sure she was referring to that time in the car when Jean called me out on not saying something sooner.

I nodded, "Yeah. It wasn't that hard to piece together."

"Thanks," she drawled, "for not telling anyone."

I shrugged, "It's really none of my business. I don't have any right to go telling other people's secrets." _Especially not when I have my own._

"Yeah, I get ya. Well, I'll see you in school," Rogue said before walking away. This must've been pretty hard on her too. From the time I've spent at the Institute so far, I've learned that Rogue was a foster kid. She must've been going through the same thing as Kurt. It must be terrible, not knowing where you're from…but then again, knowing isn't exactly a walk in the park either.

I let myself into Kurt's room. He was perched on the balcony railing. I joined him and saw the sun rising into the sky. "When I was six, my parents took pint after pint of my blood for experimental purposes," I said softly. "When I was eight my father almost drowned me in the pool in the name of science. At one point, I remember one time when my mom kept telling me it was going to be okay. That everything was going to be okay. I was crying so much. That was after one of their coworkers tried to accelerate the X gene in me. I was seven." I laughed softly, bitterly, "I have _no idea_ what you're going through right now, and I never will totally understand it. But…I do know what it's like to feel like you're the product of someone who doesn't give a damn about morality or justice or suffering. I just want you to know that our parents don't have anything to do with the people we are. You are _nothing_ like Mystique." We stayed there silently for a couple minutes.

Kurt broke the silence, "Do you think…she was telling the truth?"

I shrugged, "I don't know."

"Lia?" Kurt asked after another moment of contemplative silence.

"Yeah?"

"Did you ever forgive you parents for what they did to you?" Kurt asked me. I looked into his white eyes and shook my head smiling.

"Nah. Sometimes I feel like I really should, because they're my family and all…but…I can't. When I think about it, Bruce and Dick are the only family I really have," I admitted. Although, I don't know if the confession was for Kurt…or for me. I guess there's a part of me that still wishes that my parents would hang up the lab coats and see me as their _daughter_, but they've never really acted that way towards me. I didn't really see any affection from them until after my fourteenth birthday when they started to stop treating me like a test subject. "Well, I better go," I pushed away from the railing and walked across the room. "Kurt," I said from the door, "I hope you find out about your real biological family someday." Then I left him to his thoughts. I took out my phone and dialed a 219 number. My call went straight to voice mail. I took a deep breath and left a message, "Hi Mom and Dad…it's me…"

**_A/N...Jeez, sorry for such a late update. I've had terrible writers' block. Anyway, I'll try to keep writing! Thanks for the reviews :) keep giving me feedback please! I'm sorry for the lack of Young Justice members, I'm trying to stick to my plot and the settings...  
_**

**_Guest: Hmm...sounds good, but it's the age difference that concerns me. I like to keep my characters as close to how they were originally intended to be as I can. Unless you're okay with the Teen Titans' Beast Boy. _**


	13. Chapter 13

I woke up late this morning, and I hate waking up late. I've learned that when you're late, then you barely have any time to use the bathroom. Kurt takes forever, and his fur always clogs up the drain. It's absolutely mortifying. Well, on the bright side, I'm going back to Gotham after finals, and today was my last day of finals. Thank goodness. I've grown to love it at the Institute, but I think my training's been put on hold long enough.

Anyway, Pietro's been ignoring me since that fight a couple days ago. I tried talking to him today at school, but he didn't really talk to me. He hasn't answered my texts or my calls, and I think he's pissed off at me for fighting with the others against him. Let's make a list of everyone who I haven't spoken to recently. I think it's safe to say that Roy's on the top of that list. I do plan on speaking to him, I mean, I'll have to sooner or later. I haven't really spoken to Mia in a while, and I feel bad for that. I just don't have any time anymore. Especially not with all this Mutant stuff. Then there are my parents, who I really don't want to reach out to anymore. Wally sent me a few links to some pretty funny videos, but we never really talk that much. Really, the only people I talk to are Bruce and Dick, and even now it's difficult to get a hold of them.

I cornered Pietro at school, "Are you mad at me?" I demanded instantly. I really hate small talk. It's better to just get to the point; well, at least when I'm upset.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Pietro sounded genuinely surprised.

"Well, you haven't made much of an attempt to see me lately," I remarked slightly embarrassed for bringing it up. I just don't like this feeling. I'm used to being in the spotlight, and I enjoy being overlooked once in a while, but not by someone who I _want_ to see me…does that make sense?

Pietro put his arm around me and pulled me close, "Lia, Angel, I've just been busy lately. It's…" He sighed and ran his hand through his hair in frustration. He was obviously troubled.

"What's wrong?" I inquired. Something was up, and if it's not me, then I want to know what's going on.

"It's nothing," he was lying. His answer was so quick and abrupt, and he wouldn't really look at me. For a criminal, he's not a very good liar. Wait…that doesn't make sense. This is Pietro Maximoff, I'm positive that he's an A-class liar. Whatever's going on must have him pretty upset.

"Pietro, that's bull," I said shortly.

He laughed, "Yeah, it is. Sorry, Angel, I've been caught up."

"With the Brotherhood?" I pressed. It's my job to know these things, and I'd be lying if I said that the time he spends with the Brotherhood doesn't concern me. It bothers me that I'm dating a delinquent, and it bothers me more that we're on two opposing sides of the law. I enforce it, and he breaks it. I feel like Two Face is having a grand ol' time at my expense.

He laughed, but it was so incredibly forced, "Don't worry about it, Lia."

"I'm worrying," I said defiantly. "You haven't spoken to me all week since that fight at the construction site." I could see the conflict he was having in his head. The fact that he wasn't saying anything was making me nervous. Pietro doesn't think on things. Like most speedsters, he's impulsive. This isn't like him, and that only worries me further.

"I'll tell you later," he decided. "Meet me in front of the school, and I'll walk you home."

"Okay," I relented.

He pushed my hair out of my face, "Hey, I'll see you later, okay?" I guess it was his attempt to be reassuring or something.

I shrugged, "Okay." He kissed me quickly before disappearing. I don't think that the conversation did anything to make me feel better. He only confirmed what I suspected. It may not be my fault, but something was up. My mind came up with at least fifty different things that could be wrong.

I still have yet to bring up the topic of Bruce's little get-together. Really, why would anyone want to invite a Mutant rebel into their priceless family manor? Especially when said Mutant has been charged twice with vandalism. I don't want Lex Luthor anywhere _near_ Pietro either. The man's a creep, and I don't even want to know what could ensue if he meets my boyfriend.

I really did plan on telling him, but he hasn't. Been. Talking. To. Me. I hate to admit it, but this has bothered me a lot more than I anticipated. Hell, everything with him has been a lot more than anticipated. I don't even remember if I told him that I hung out with Roy… I mean, it's not a secret or anything, but I haven't exactly had the time to tell Pietro anything lately.

I wandered the building to kill time. I'm pretty sure that Kurt teleported Rogue and Kitty back to the Institute, Scott drove Jean back as usual, and Evan said he was going to skateboard back. I think that means that I'm the only X-Man left. I paced back and forth in front of the building until Pietro showed up. Why is it that the speedsters are always late? Seriously.

"Come on, let's walk," Pietro extended his hand to me, and I took it. We started walking like that. Just like a normal couple walking home from school hand in hand. Unfortunately, nothing about us has ever been normal. We were silent for quite a while. I have a million questions running through my head, but they were all under control. I let Pietro have time to sort through his thoughts. "I'm sorry," he muttered.

I took that as permission to converse. "It's okay. I just thought you were mad at me or something…"

"It's not that, I swear," he said quickly.

"So what is it?" I questioned.

He sighed, "It's my dad." And with that I felt like everything around me just ended. Well, that and a sense of I-saw-this-coming. I mean, it makes sense doesn't it? There's no way that Mystique's been pulling the strings this whole time. I've had my suspicions that she's been working for a higher power… In retrospect, the clues are all there. I feel like Professor X knew about this the whole time too.

"What's going on?" I asked. My voice sounded different. Earlier it had been comforting, but now…I sounded like Batman. I sounded serious. I guess it's an appropriate tone, though. Eric isn't quite a force I want to take on head to head.

"He has this idea, Lia," Pietro started. "He believes that there's a way for us to live. A sanctuary. A place where we can be _ourselves_."

"Oh, God," I sighed, "Pietro…" Not _this_. I remember a lot about how Mr. Lensherr was the ultimate Mutant rights' activist…to the extreme. The delicate thing about the Mutant predicament is that there are going to be opposing forces. Mutant against Mutant…and Mutant against human. We're all going to go about things differently. Mr. Lensherr and Professor Xavier are perfect examples.

"No, just hear me out, Lia," he pleaded. I fell silent. I really don't want to fight him on this. It's a touchy subject. "Humans are _never_ going to accept Mutants. You know that. My dad, he has a vision for us…all of us. There is a sanctuary."

"Pietro…" I tried to protest. What kind of sanctuary would this be? It sounds like a place where we could just hide.

"I know what you're going to say," he interrupted, "but we're hiding now. This isn't hiding. This is sanctuary. Think about it, Angel, we wouldn't have to hide who we are. We wouldn't have to fight each other anymore." There was a hopeful look in his eyes. I wonder if he actually believed in this dream…

"Do you really believe that?" I asked him gently. "Or is this because you want to please him?"

"Would it be so bad if I do want to please him? He's my _father_," Pietro snapped. He took a deep breath and squeezed my hand, "I want you to think about it, Angel. I want you to be there with me when the time comes. We're going to compete for our place in sanctuary. You've already earned your place. I know it, the others know it, and he knows it."

"I don't know if this is the kind of place for me," I said hesitantly. It was a lot to take in. It's not every day your boyfriend invites you to Mutant sanctuary with him and his father.

"It is, Angel," he promised. "I know it is. You know that the humans would never accept us. You wouldn't sit around and watch them crush us. They'll be afraid, and you know what they do when they're afraid."

"The Justice League won't let that happen," I argued. I know that they wouldn't. Bruce would _never_ let that happen.

"What will they do about it exactly?" Pietro scoffed, "They'll be put down just like the rest of us. Everyone's gonna turn on them too. Angel, I don't want you to be mad at me…"

Mad? Why would I be mad at him? His father makes valid points, but I'm not going to take a side when the time comes…all of us know it's going to happen one day. War between the two species is inevitable. Why is he so set on pleasing Mr. Lensherr, though? Eric has not been the most reliable father to Pietro all this time. Why does he care about what his father thinks about him? _The same reason you still speak to your mother_, the traitorous voice in my head told me.

"I'm not mad," I assured him. "It's just…a lot."

"I know," Pietro said, taking my other hand in his. "I know that it's a lot to think about, but I really think that this could be something. We aren't the bad guys here, Lia."

No. They really aren't. In fact, Mr. Lensherr's right in a way. Humans are never going to accept us completely, but…is this the way to go about it? I mean, we can have peace, can't we? It doesn't have to be us against them. "I know that, Pietro. I just don't think that segregating ourselves from them is the right way to do this. It doesn't sound right to me," I tried to explain. The whole idea didn't feel right. I can see where Mr. Lensherr's coming from, but I don't think that this is the way to go about it. I don't believe that we have to fight the humans.

"Don't you see, Angel? My father has a vision for all of us," Pietro sounded…well, he sounded brainwashed. Since when did he care about what Eric thought of him anyway? After everything that man put their family through, you'd think that Pietro would be a little bit resentful or something.

"I have a vision too, Tro," I snapped. "And it sure as hell doesn't include the world being divided by human and mutant kinds." That came out more harshly than I intended, but he's starting to piss me off. He isn't going to change my mind by promising a safe haven. I don't _want_ a safe haven. I want to fight, but I don't want to fight for dominance. Because when you take away the pretty words and the promises, that's what they'll end up doing. If I was being honest, I'd say that I fight… a lot. Hell, I like fighting, but I fight for the right reasons. I will fight so that humans and mutants can live together as equals.

"I thought you weren't mad," Pietro crossed his arms and looked down on me accusingly.

"I lied," I grit out. Well, I wasn't mad when I said it. "You sound ridiculous. Think about what you're saying, Pietro."

"Oh, so now I'm ridiculous?" he scowled. "I know what I'm saying. I'm doing this, Lia, and it would be nice if you would think about what I'm offering you."

"Offering me?" I asked incredulously, "You've got to be kidding me!" What kind of offer is this? I'm not buying into any of this bull Lensherr's pitching.

Pietro silently walked with me for a while. It was a little bit unnerving. I think I may have really upset him. _Ugh, why am I so stupid? He's just trying to be a good son to his father…I don't understand why, but still. Maybe I was too harsh on him. It was actually kind of sweet in a way_, I thought to myself during this never ending silence.

"I don't want to do this, Angel," Pietro finally said softly, and he was looking at me pleadingly, like I could offer him another alternative.

"What are you talking about?" I asked. Things just got weirder. I instinctively got on my guard. This didn't sound right…

"I'm talking about sanctuary," Pietro said insistently. "Angel, you're strong. You mean a lot to me, and I was hoping that it wouldn't come to this…but… oh well." Then he was gone. Just like that. Well, that happened. Then I felt a sudden punch to the gut. I choked on the shock and gasped for air. He didn't…what…?

"You son of a…" I muttered. What the hell did he do that for?

He reappeared, as I was doubled over, looking as nonchalant as ever, "Sorry, Angel, it's nothing personal, but I _will _fight you on this."

I stood to my full height, not that I'm that tall, but still, it's quite the feat considering that my boyfriend just punched me. It's not a big deal, though, he's in for _soo _much worse. "God, you're crazy," I mumbled, shaking my head.

"Don't make me fight you, Angel," he sounded tired of this. "I don't want to fight you."

"Should've thought of that before you punched me," I said. Then he was gone again. He can run, but he can't hide. I focused on the molecules of water scattered all around. They're everywhere, in the air, the plants, the people. I just had to find the right ones flowing the right way, and that's how I'd find Pietro. I don't want to bore anyone with the science of it, so I'll just get to the point. I locked in on his body moving at blinding speeds, and I closed my fist on the air in front of me…and I threw my arm, letting go like there was a baseball in my hand. Following the motions, Pietro froze where he was, and then he went flying into a dumpster. "Pietro, come on, this is stupid," I sighed, advancing on him.

He got up and shook his head. I took a defensive stance, but he just put his hands up in surrender, "Easy, Angel. It's over," he said looking over my shoulder. Wait, what? Is he breaking up with me? The shock must've registered on my face or something because he hastily corrected himself, "The fight. I'm done, you win."

I relaxed, in more than one way. Hey, give me a break; I've grown fond of the guy. If anyone's gonna do the breaking up, it's gonna be me. "Okay…" I said suspiciously. Then something cold and metallic grabbed me. It covered my mouth, smothering my surprised yelp. It was a metal tentacle, and it had friends… I looked to Pietro for help, and he shrugged guiltily. I narrowed my eyes. Dammit, he tricked me.

"Sorry, Angel," he said apologetically, "but I can't do this without you." Ugh, even now he has to be corny. Then everything went dark as I was shut away from the light.

**_A/N... Well, how am I doing? Poor Lia and Pietro, their first real fight. Belated happy holidays y'all. :) keep reviewing and stuff_**


	14. Chapter 14

_God, what is that pounding in my head?_ I wondered, _It hurts to think._ When I opened my eyes, I was blinded by lavender light. As if my splitting headache wasn't bad enough. What had happened? I looked around. It looked like a lab of sorts. Wait, am I in a _test tube?_ What the hell is going on here? I turned and saw Rogue to my right and Rogue to my left in their own personal tubes. God, I feel like a Cadmus experiment in this thing. Then I heard Jean screaming at…Scott? Is that him walking into the light? Okay, strange. Am I dreaming? Well, if this is a dream…it's more of a nightmare. I saw Pietro, Blob, Avalanche, and Bigfoot? Anyway, I saw those four standing around watching Scott and some other guy stand at the entrance of what sort of looked like a vault. What really grabbed my attention was the man garbed in red and purple with a matching helmet.

"Pietro!" I shouted angrily while Jean practically begged Scott not to do whatever he was about to do. He was either ignoring me or this thing was sound proof… Then the door to the thing swung closed as Scott turned around.

"Sorry, Angel, didn't mean to trick you," Pietro suddenly stood in front of me on the other side of the glass.

"What is that thing?" I demanded.

"It's a machine that accelerates your mutant growth," a much older voice said from behind Pietro. "When Scott and Alex emerge, they shall be evolved." I cringed. _That's_ what he was doing. "Hello, Thalia," he greeted.

"Magneto," I ground out. Everyone's attention returned to the two figures walking out of the purple light.

"Come," Magneto greeted the two newly evolved mutants, "the world awaits you." I may not be one of Scott's biggest fans, but this is just crazy.

"Pain's gone," the guy next to Scott remarked. I can now see that they wore matching outfits consisting of brown jackets, white shirts, and matching pants.

"And you shall be called Havok," Magneto dubbed the other mutant. He turned to Scott, "Go on, Scott, show us the color of your eyes." When Scott reached for his visor, I was expecting a beam of red-white light. Instead, well…It wasn't exactly what I expected from Scott Summers. "Another benefit to your enhancement, your minds. They're purged of useless emotion. You should have a clear perspective of our dominant role here on Earth."

I felt raw anger surge through me at this speech. The person who walked out of that machine is not Scott Summers; he doesn't even _look_ like Scott. Scott has brown hair and an athlete's build. This person has snowy white hair and looked like he was on steroids or something. This person is not Scott Summers. What's Magneto going on about emotion anyway? Emotion is not useless. It's a source of strength and motivation. What's his vision without hate of humanity? It's nothing.

Magneto was cut off by a siren and flashing red alarm. "Aircraft," Bigfoot announced.

"Really?" he sounded intrigued, "Let's see who it is." The man raised his arm and the ceiling opened. I could make out the outline of the aircraft, and I waited for Magneto to take her out of the sky. That never happened. "No metal!" he exclaimed. The professor smirked and shrugged. Magneto turned to Scott and that Alex guy, "Boys, defend us." I watched them walk out onto a platform.

I fixed a glare on Pietro. I can't believe he did this to me. Sure, he did it for what he thinks is a good cause, but still. Trickery is not the answer, nor is attacking me. I don't know what's going on in his head right now, but I can tell that he isn't thinking straight. Why am I with him again? All he is and ever will be is trouble. "Pietro, when I get out of here, you are going to wish that this never happened," I threatened.

"C'mon, Angel, don't be like that. This is all for your own good," Pietro tried to reason. My rant was cut short by the sound of a crash landing. Blue sparks flew as the air craft made friction with the metal floor. Scott and Alex barely got away from the impact. Shadowcat and Spyke phased out of the air craft, and Nightcrawler teleported himself our next to them. Toad and Wolverine jumped out of the door, and Mystique climbed out.

"Knock, knock," she drawled.

"Mystique," Magneto snapped, "you never could take no for an answer." The furious woman launched into the air, and Wolverine made quick work of the glass cases trapping us. As soon as I got out, I joined the fighting. What? Do you really think I'd take being kidnapped lightly?

I locked in on Pietro. He stood there with his arms crossed as usual without a care in the world. When he saw me approaching, I saw the panic that flickered on his face. "Now, Angel, don't do anything irrational," he let out a nervous laugh.

"Sometimes, you _really _have to think about the decisions you make in life," I said shaking my head. Then I created a staff from the water in the air and spun it in my hand a couple times.

"Lia, come on, even you won't be able to hit me," he laughed.

I shrugged, "True…but how are you supposed to run if your legs are all tied up?" I threw the solidified water staff at him, and let the molecules spread out enough to take liquid form while maintaining shaped.

"Uh-oh," he said and disappeared. I did a quick sweep to find him, and it turns out that I didn't have to do any more work. Spyke and Rogue took care of him for me. I walked over there taking my time. What? I'm in no rush.

"I got him," I told Spyke. The New Yorker didn't look like he wanted to carry Quicksilver's unconscious body to the X-Jet.

"Thanks," he said gratefully. I nodded to him, and levitated my boyfriend off the ground. Ugh, and I have to introduce _this_ to my cousin. That's gonna be quite the evening.

"Get aboard the jet, quickly!" Storm ordered us. Spyke, Shadowcat, and I ran. This place was falling apart. I don't want to end up under a pile of rubble. Thanks, but no thanks. I got halfway to the jet, and when I looked back, nobody else was there.

"Lia!" Shadowcat called from inside.

"The others…" the hero in me hesitated.

"They can take care of themselves," Nightcrawler assured me. I nodded and boarded the jet with Pietro in toll.

"Everyone okay?" I asked them.

Shadowcat laughed, "We're the ones who should be asking you that." True. I guess they were the ones who came to do the rescuing. I strapped Pietro into a seat and sat down next to him.

His head kind of hung to the side, but he stirred slightly. I shook my head, "What am I going to do with you?"

"I dunno," he said quietly as Wolverine started the jet up.

"I cannot believe you did that to me," I told him.

He smirked, "Yeah. It wasn't a very good idea now that I think about it."

"No? Really?" I rolled my eyes. The entire jet shook like one of Avalanche's tremors. "What's that?" I asked the other passengers.

"I don't know," Shadowcat replied.

"We're goin' down, yo," Toad said pessimistically. He latched onto Blob, "I'm sorry for all the bad things I've done. I'm sorry I used your toothbrush. Man, I'm sorry for lying to you about what happened to your Jeep. _I _broke the windshield. Tro, I'm sorry for breakin' your window…"

"Shut up, Toad," Pietro rolled his eyes.

I wonder what happened to his window… Whoa, what was that? We hit more turbulence, and got tossed around like a salad. "Hey! Wolverine, keep her steady would you?" I called. I felt the familiar sensation of a landing.

"Oh, thank you, God!" Toad exclaimed and hopped away.

"That steady enough for you, kid?" Wolverine growled.

I gave him a thumbs up, "Perfect." Everyone started to get out of the jet to check on Scott and Alex. Shadowcat stopped at the door and looked back at me and Pietro.

"Are you coming?" she asked me.

I shook my head, "Go check on Scott. I'll stay here." I'm just going to miss some sappy speech from the Professor or something. Well, this turned out to be an eventful day. The good thing about being kidnapped and nearly crashing is that I didn't even think about my finals. Oh….s***.

"So, how pissed off are you?" Pietro asked weakly.

I thought about it. I shouldn't even be able to look at him after that display, but…I'm not really that upset. Other than the fact that he instigated a fight with me, I guess everything must've been justified in his mind. "After being punched, kidnapped, and held against my will…I'm not all that mad at you," I replied honestly.

"What? Really?" he sounded doubtful.

"Yup," I confirmed. "But if you ever try to pull off something like that again, you'll never be able to reproduce." My threat came off cheerily, but his face paled and that's all that matters. I made my point.

"I really am sorry about that whole thing," Pietro said sincerely. I looked at him questioningly, waiting for him to continue. "I just thought that maybe this would work out. This plan Dad has in his head. It makes sense, and… I thought…"

"You thought that it's what I needed too," I completed his thought.

"Yeah," he pushed his hair back nervously.

"Pietro," I said seriously, looking him straight in the eye, "you mean a lot more to me than you should. I care about you, but if you ever think that you know what's best for me again, I won't be so lenient."

He thought this over and grinned, "So there's going to be a next time?"

I smirked, "Did I say otherwise?" I leaned over the seat to kiss him. Now I just have to let him know about the whole benefit thing. This is going to be fun. I figure that he owes me after that whole incident, and now it doesn't seem _too_ bad to introduce him to Lex Luthor.

Everyone boarded the plane again, and we flew in peace. I leaned on Pietro and we had some nice conversation for the duration of the flight. Alex and Scott had returned to normal. Turns out that Alex is actually Scott's long lost brother. Scott's an orphan too…there are so many out there. Bruce, Dick, Roy, Rogue, Kurt, and now Scott and Alex. It's sad…

Well, when we landed in the hangar back at the Institute, our two teams split up. After the explosion, the Brotherhood caught a flight with us. There hasn't been any sighting of Magneto, Mystique, or Sabertooth. "Oh, and Bruce is inviting us to a benefit in a couple weeks," I informed Pietro before moving to

"What?" Pietro yelped. I just laughed and waved good-bye. Kitty and Rogue snickered, and the three of us went into the building together.

#*#*#*

I took a shower and changed into some less disgusting clothes. Somehow, I still had enough energy to pick up my phone. I don't even know how I managed to keep it on me this whole time. Thank God for pockets. I dropped my backpack earlier when I was abducted, but Pietro promised to return it to me tomorrow. I could only hope that he wouldn't go through its contents. This is why Superman goes with the double layer technique.

I decided to call Dick and tell him about today's events. "Hey, Lia!" He greeted. I'm surprised that he wasn't off with Batman at this hour on a Friday. This is an ideal scouring time.

"Hi. Shouldn't you be patrolling the city?" I asked curiously. Batman likes to stick to his patrol schedule.

"Batman went out alone. I'm supposed to stay home," the Boy Wonder sounded upset about that.

I smirked, "Aww, Robbie, you aren't _grounded_ are you?"

"Shut up," he snapped. "Bruce doesn't like that I didn't tell him about your boyfriend sooner. So I have to stay in the Batcave for the whole weekend. It's not fair. This had nothing to do with me."

"Sorry," I apologized half-heartedly. It's not _my_ fault that the kid got himself grounded. "Today was…eventful."

"Huh? What happened?" I took a deep breath and explained everything that happened, starting with the fight a couple days ago. Dick's a pretty good listener, and he's even better at analyzing everything. I'm sure that if it had been him here instead of me, all of these puzzles would have been solved sooner. Then I got to the part where Pietro attacked me in broad daylight. Dick's reaction was rather…unpleasant.

"That…" He shouted heatedly. I had to hold the phone away from my ear.

"Language," I reminded him. Hey, I'm not _that_ bad of a role model. Dick's still just a kid. "Now, before you freak out, he had good intentions."

Dick scoffed, "What kind of guy punches his girlfriend with good intentions?" I know it sounds like an abusive relationship, but our situation is complicated. This is why heroes don't associate ourselves with the bad guys.

"Let me finish," I sighed. Dick knows as much about mutants as I do. He gets the science of it, and he knows exactly what I mean when I say 'evolution enhancer'. So, I told Dick about being kidnapped, the sanctuary, coming face to face with Magneto, the enhancer, the fight, and the explosion. I think his favorite part was hearing about the fight.

"Whoa," Dick commented at the end.

I laughed, "Yeah, quite the bed time story, isn't it?"

"Yeah. That's insane. Stuff like that never happens in Gotham," his voice sounded like a cross between surprise, disappointment, and slight envy. Like he _wanted_ exploding chunks of metal to float over the city. Oh, wait, they already have those.

"Dick, you deal with this kind of stuff all the time!" I exclaimed. Silly kid. There was that one time Joker rode over Gotham in a giant blimp. And another time when Riddler decided to take over the sky in a huge airship. I wonder where these guys get their funds from.

"It's not the same, though," Dick protested.

"Yeah…everything here's too normal," I replied. Bayville's like suburbia, and Gotham's a psychopath's playground. I can't even imagine what's going to happen after the humans find out about Mutants. Areas like Gotham and Metropolis and Central City are probably going to take it easier than places like Crown Point and Bayville.

"Says the hydrokinetic," Dick sniggered.

I rolled my eyes, knowing full well that he can't see me, "Okay, other than the mutant population. I mean it, Dick, it's too normal here. Like, it's a great place, and I really like it here, but I want to go home." I get to spend the whole summer back home in Gotham with Dick, Bruce, and Alfred. I think that I'll even get some training in with Kaldur, Wally, and…oh… I think Dick's figured out the same thing. Or, at least he's aware of it.

"I can't wait!" Dick said excitedly, "We really miss having you when we're training. Especially Speedy."

Ugh, not _this_. "Richard," I said warningly. I just got kidnapped and dragged to northern Canada. I do not need this now.

"I'm just saying, Lia," Dick said defensively. "Just talk to him."

"And say what, exactly?" I questioned, "He was out of line, and I don't think I have to put up with that."

"Okay, fair enough. What happened? Roy won't tell any of us."

"We were hanging out, and Pietro called," I replied. "Roy got all jealous, and he said some things that pissed me off."

"You should sort it out," the eleven year old advised. "It's no good for anyone if you two aren't getting along."

I scoffed, "When do we ever get along?" It's true, Roy and I have a lot of arguments, but this is pretty bad even for us. The thing is, what would I tell him? "I'm sorry, but you dumped me, and I found a really great guy who gets me"? Like that's going to help anything.

"Good point," Dick replied. "I still think you should talk to him. It's not fair to the rest of us if you two won't work together." True. A team works like a well-oiled machine, and if two gears aren't working, the whole team is at jeopardy.

"I'll think about it," I promised.

"Good. I hope you aren't out of practice," I could hear the mischievous smirk on his face. No doubt that Batman continued the kid's training even after I moved to Bayville, but I haven't exactly been slacking off. Now I just have to catch up on a month's worth of training with Batman and incorporate all the new techniques he has in store for the summer. Woo-freaking-hoo.

"As if," I scoffed, "Wolverine's strict as hell about keeping up on the hand to hand combat."

"Okay, first thing when you get back…" the challenge evident in his voice.

"You're on!" I grinned. I really do love this kid. Richard Grayson has been like a brother to me ever since he was introduced to the family. I can't wait to get home. If for no other reason than to kick his ass.

**_A/N...Did you really think I'd break up Lia and Pietro so soon? Well, there goes season one...only three more until I can really get into my Young Justice plot. Anyone know where I can find all the Young Justice episodes without downloading or paying? _**


	15. Chapter 15

"Thalia, your balance," Batman remarked from the huge computer while Robin and I sparred on the beams. Bats didn't even turn around. I've been in Gotham for ten days, and it's been nonstop training. It's crazy. My muscles have been screaming after the first six days. This is just crazy. I haven't fallen behind too badly, and I definitely don't need all this extra conditioning. Seriously, two laps around the property. No, not around the _manor_, the whole property. Do you have ANY idea how much land that is?!

"You're not even watching," I countered and jumped down from the beam, catching on and swinging myself around it to escape a charging Robin. What was the score? 4-3? Did I mention that I can't even use my powers when I sparred him? Well, I can't. At least not yet. I landed back on my feet and swept a kick at his ankles.

The acrobat skillfully jumped into the air and tried to pin me down, but I rolled back on the beam to put some space between us. "Come on, Star, this is taking forever," Robin sighed.

I scoffed, "Easy for you to say, circus boy." It's not my fault I wasn't born and raised on a trapeze. I threw three stariken at him, and he dodged all of them.

"Your aim, Thalia," Batman helpfully reminded me.

"Shut up, Bruce," I retorted and maneuvered around two batarangs. "My aim is just fine, thank you very much." Does he want me to cut up the kid? I mean, I have no problem with that, but I'm holding back. Now…if it was, say, Roy, I sparred with right now…I wouldn't be holding back.

"You're getting sloppy," Batman insisted. I took out my retractable bo staff and struck Robin in the stomach. I felt satisfaction when the air was knocked out of him. I took advantage of the opening and pivoted, whacking him on the back. Robin lost his balance and fell on the mats.

"How's that for sloppy?" I asked the Dark Knight. I returned my staff and discarded stariken to my utility belt. I got my stuff back from Pietro before I left for Gotham. He asked question after question about meeting Bruce. So, apparently the benefit is in four days, and Pietro's still freaking out. He went out and bought a suit for the occasion. Every time he called or texted me, he always sounded like he was on the verge of a panic attack. I never told Bruce about the Asteroid M incident, and I bribed Robin into secrecy.

"Not bad," Batman admitted.

"Not bad?" I exclaimed, extending a hand out to Robin, "That was beautiful."

"Don't get cocky," my mentor warned.

I rolled my eyes and pulled the kid up, "He doesn't kid around, does he?" I walked over to the computer where my cousin was staring intently at the screen. Chances are that he's still trying to find the Joker. This obsession of his isn't healthy; it's going to end up tearing him apart. I let him be. I know, I'm an enabler. I have my own worries to focus on, and Batman can take care of himself.

_Ten Days Ago – June 3, 2008 – Xavier Institute, Bayville, New York_

_ Professor Xavier called me to the library before I departed for Gotham. I assume that he was thinking the same that I was. I closed the doors behind me and walked to the couch. Logan was sitting on the arm rest, and Professor X turned in his wheelchair to face me, "Ah, Thalia, come, join us," the bald man invited me. _

_ I took a seat on the empty side of the couch. "What's this about, Chuck?" Logan growled, "Why's _she_ here?" _

_ "It's Magneto, isn't it?" I asked after he finished his growling. The professor didn't reply, and I took that as a yes. "You're concerned."_

_ "What do you know about Magneto?" The wolf-man demanded. I swear, if I was anyone else but me, I would've been scared. Unfortunately, I'm not a push over. _

_ "Enough," I replied vaguely. _

_ "Thalia knew Magnus when we worked with her parents," Professor X explained. "She knows a great deal about his opinion on Mutant-human relations."_

_ "She's a kid…"_

_ "A kid whose first word happened to be mutant," I cut in irritably. "Professor, can we please get to the point?"_

_ "I want you two to be on your guard," Professor X informed us. "If either of you see anything suspicious, I don't want you to hold back. Thalia, I know you're involved with Pietro Maximoff…" The professor trailed off. The insinuation was there. He thought that Pietro was going to cause trouble or possibly persuade me to switch sides._

_ "With all due respect, sir," I said politely, "I know where my loyalties lie. I won't let anything get in my way. Not even Pietro."_

_ "How do we know we can trust her, Charles?" Logan inquired. The two of us glared from both of the couch. Okay, I'm decent at reading people. I know that Logan doesn't trust me that much, but seriously, he has to calm down. I know who I stand by right now. _

_ "You don't," I answered honestly, making eye contact with the man. "In fact, I don't blame you for being suspicious. Some rich kid from Gotham gets sent here with combat skills more advanced than Scott and more control of her powers than Jean. It raises questions." Professor Xavier arched an eyebrow questioningly, probably wondering where I was going with this. "I don't intend on answering those questions, Logan, but I do intend on doing what I believe to be best." _

_ "Nobody here wants you to be caught in the middle of what might happen later on," the Professor said warningly. _

_ "I know, Professor, but I can take care of myself," I promised him. _

_ Logan looked as if he wanted to say something, but Professor X beat him to it, "Very well, Thalia. Just remember to keep your guard up. Have a nice summer." _

_ "You too, sir," I replied before departing for Gotham. _

_ As I closed the door, I heard Logan speaking, "Are you sure about this, Chuck?" _

_ "Yes, Logan. Thalia is a very powerful Mutant, and she is very sure of herself. She has a clear understanding of what is at stake for a child her age. It isn't often that you come across a young revolutionary such as Thalia Wayne." _

_ "But…?" Logan pressed further._

_ The professor sighed, "But she is still young. She needs to live her life before she gets too involved…"_

_Present day – June 13, 2008 – Batcave, Wayne Manor, Gotham, Connecticut_

I threw two stariken at Robin, _Too bad Professor X doesn't know about this._ I dodged as he swung and stabbed at me with his bo staff. _I won't be able to live a normal life,_ I thought, _I gave up that possibility when I took up the mask_. I back flipped to put more distance between me and Robin when two explosive batarangs landed on the mat. How old was he now? Eleven? Dick isn't even a _teenager,_ and he doesn't have the option of ever living a normal life. _We aren't kids. We haven't been kids in years, _I thought to myself a little bitterly. I started this when I was thirteen, and he was only _nine._

Robin and I went head to head with the bo staffs. Whenever he struck, I blocked. We moved in time perfectly. Every attack was parried, every feint was anticipated, and every counterattack was avoided. We were predictable. I decided to use one of Logan's less than characteristic charges. I retracted the staff, and ran at him. Nothing's wrong with hand to hand combat.

_Professor X doesn't know, _I thought to myself as I tried to punch Robin in the head. _He has no idea how quickly any of us here have had to grow up. _My attacks got rougher with more power behind them. I could hear Robin's labored breathing as his defenses started to tire. _He doesn't understand that I have no choice anymore. I chose to be a hero, and I'm going to be a hero in every way I can._

"Star, stop!" Batman exclaimed before I could break Robin's bones or give the kid internal bleeding. I held Robin by the shoulders and I was about to bring my knee up to his ribs. I dropped him in shock and horror.

"I… I didn't mean…" I stammered. I was astounded by my behavior. I've _never _lost my cool during training before. I've never come close to actually hurting Dick. Sure, there were times when I underestimated my strength earlier in my training, but I've never done _this_. God, I was damn well close to beating him up!

"You almost broke his ribs," Bruce snapped, helping his other apprentice.

"Oh god," I whispered. "I'm sorry." I ran out of the cave. I couldn't believe I just did that. I love Dick, he's family. I would never dream about hurting him unless absolutely necessary. I've never let my anger get the best of me before, and I've never had a problem with the fact that I'm never going to be a normal teenager. I mean, I knew when I started this that it was going to be difficult, but I never regretted my decision.

I locked myself in my room and took shallow breaths, trying to get oxygen into my system and hold back tears. My room is really nice. It's rather large but the furniture isn't too lavish. There's a desk, a black leather chair, a queen sized bed, a step in closet, a dresser, and a bed side table. The carpet is deep red, and the walls are beige. The back wall had a glass door leading to a balcony and full length windows.

I sat in the middle of the bed, trying to regain my composure. I can't believe I just broke down like that. That isn't like me. I do _not _go around almost beating Robin senseless. _I just don't do that_. There was a knock on the door and my head snapped up. "Thalia, can I come in?" Bruce asked gently from the other side of the door.

"No," I snapped immediately.

I saw the doorknob turn, and Bruce walked into the room dressed in sweats and a gray workout shirt instead of his usual outfit, "The question was just a courtesy." He strode across the room and sat on the edge of the bed. "What's wrong? You've never lost your cool like that before."

I sighed, "The professor said something before I left the mansion, and I don't think I was supposed to hear it. He said that I'm still too young to get involved with this whole Mutant movement. He thinks that I still have to grow up and live my life before I could…" I lost the words to continue, so I tried again. "I started thinking about how you've been teaching me for years and how that forced me to grow up. I knew when I signed up for this that I'd never be normal. Actually, nothing about me has ever been normal. This is just what I chose to do with my abnormality," I raised my arms to motion to this life.

Bruce nodded, "And do you regret it?"

I shook my head, "Not at all. I feel like _this _is what I'm meant to do. I'm supposed to save people, Bruce. I _want_ to help people. I just...sometimes I do wish I could be part of something normal. Join a club, or a sport, or something." I got up from my place on the bed and walked around the room. I laughed bitterly and threw up my arms, "God, Bruce, I wanted to have a future one day. Go to college, get a job, start a family… I guess a normal life was never in the cards for me, though."

"Well," Bruce said thoughtfully, "you aren't exactly a homemaker type. In fact, even if you weren't experiencing these complications, you wouldn't be."

I laughed a little bit, but I felt the pressure of tears behind my eyes, "Of course not. I'm a Wayne. We aren't destined to be normal."

"Do you believe in destiny?" Bruce asked curiously.

I shrugged, "I think everything happens for a reason. One thing leads to another, and if something's meant to happen, then it will. It's hard to think about. We all make our own decisions, but if that's what was meant to happen anyway, then do we really have a choice? Things just get _so screwed up_. Like, sometimes I wonder if the bad things were meant to happen to us so that we become the people we are." Bruce didn't need me to elaborate what I meant. He and Dick watched their parents die in front of them, and I grew up lacking the love and affection a child needs from their parent. I

"What do you think?" Bruce asked. My cousin looked me straight in the eye, and I could tell that he was thinking it through, too. I wonder if he thinks about the same things like I do. Usually it's something along the lines of _Why did this happen to me?_ Actually, I know that he thinks about this question too. Dick probably does as well. At eleven years old, Dick probably thinks like an old man about things like that. I said it before, and I'll say it again. We aren't kids, not anymore.

I breathed deeply, "I think that I was meant for this. Everything that happened to me was so that I could be the hero I am now. We went through what we went through so that we'd eventually ensure that other people don't have to."

Bruce smiled at me, and the expression on his face was a mixture of pride and respect, "Spoken like a hero."

I grinned at him thankful that I have such a great person in my life. When I was a kid, I was severely lacking in proper adult role models. Not that Professor Xavier wasn't kind to me or my parents weren't decent. My parents were had always thought of me as an experiment, and they weren't there for me until very recently. I guess what I'm really trying to say is that I've never been able to _look up to someone_. When I think about it, I realize that this hero gig does a lot for the family I have in Gotham. We trust each other with our lives. Bruce takes care of us, and he holds himself responsible for everything me and Dick do. Alfred isn't even just a butler to us. He's like a father to Bruce, and he's like an uncle to me and Dick. Alfred looks out for us. He's just as much a part of this family as the rest of us. "I learned from the best," I replied.

Bruce nodded, and I knew that the moment we just shared had passed. It was time to get back to business. "Come on, you need to work on that aim of yours. It's getting sloppy."

I scoffed and jumped off the bed, "Sloppy my ass. You just can't admit that I'm almost as good as you are."

Bruce rolled his eyes in a very unsophisticated manner, "Maybe if you'd get back to training you could be."

**_A/N...Awww, a heart to heart between cousins! I love writing the softer side of Batman and Thalia. They aren't really in touch with their fluffy emotions, so I thought I should show Thalia's emotional barriers kind of deteriorate in this chapter. This makes 100 pages guys! I feel so proud! Well, let me know what you think, so..._**

**_Review, review, review this chappie! :)_**


	16. Chapter 16

Robin was put out of commission for the next couple of nights on account of my loss of control. When I passed them in the Batcave on the night before the benefit, Alfred was tending to the boy. I winced when I saw the damage I had done; ugly bruises were forming on his collar, shoulder, and torso. Dick saw the mortified expression on my face and just grinned boyishly at me. It was meant to show me that he'd be okay. I felt relieved. Dick's a strong kid; of course he'd be okay.

I got suited up in my Black Star outfit for patrol and then walked over to talk to the Boy Wonder. "Sorry about that," I apologized, indicating his injuries.

Dick's left shoulder twitched as a shrug, "I've been worse. It happens. You weren't _trying_ to hurt me. Are you okay?" The boy looked like he just got jumped on the way home, and he was asking _me _if I was okay. You just have to appreciate someone like that. No matter how bad they are – no matter how _badly_ you hurt them – they're thinking about _you_.

"I'm fine," I lied. How do you tell your surrogate brother that you'd change the life you're living? You don't. Dick looked skeptical, but he didn't verse his thoughts.

Dick changed the subject, "So, have you spoken to Roy yet?" I groaned, of all the subjects he could have picked…Roy and I haven't spoken since the school year, and I intend to leave it like that. What? It's not like I'm ignoring him. I just happen to not notice the numerous text messages he sends me…yeah…

"No," I mumbled and went to sort through the never ending supplies we have lying around. I swear, if Alfred wasn't such a neat freak house mom, this place would be a mess.

"You can't ignore him forever," Dick pointed out.

"I'm not ignoring anyone," I lied.

Dick saw right through it and scoffed, "You haven't even plied to any of his texts." I rolled my eyes and restocked my belt with stariken. "You know you're gonna have to talk to him eventually."

I turned and pointed at him with a stariken, "First of all, it's _re_plied. Secondly, I will…eventually. Look, kid, I need to go out. It's been long enough since I actually got out in the field. I'm sick of all this stay at home training. Can we talk about this another time?" I crossed the cave and threw my leg over my motorcycle. I put on the sleek black helmet that matched the bike. Both were tweaked to suit my nightlife needs, just like the Batmobile and the Batwing. I revved the engine and sped out of the cave leaving Batman and Robin in my dust.

Gotham's an okay place to be, once you get past the bad rep. I mean, a lot of work's been done on the city. It's a lot cleaner than it was when Batman took up the cowl. People aren't as terrified of walking outside their doors anymore. More kids are going to school. The crime rate's gone down. Safer communities are being established. We're _remaking_ Gotham into a place where people want to be.

I parked the bike around a corner and swiftly climbed up a fire escape onto the roof of a three story building. I looked down at the rundown district of Gotham around me. Bright flashing lights and neon signs lit the streets that were ridden with the grime of Gotham. Drug dealers, prostitutes, pimps, perverts…all of them, hung out in the lower east side of the city.

"What are you doing?" Batman's voice spoke to me through the communicator in my ear.

"Patrolling Lower East Side, want me to pick up dinner?" I teased. "I think that's a restaurant…wait, no…it's a strip club. Never mind." How does that man put up with me?

The exasperated sigh from the other end of the line made my grin widen, "Be careful, Star."

"Hmm, I'll think about it," I replied smoothly. I saw a woman walking down the street. She was pretty; in her thirties, I think. Her hair had more of an orange color to it than red; she wore black heels, and a beige coat that reached her ankles. She didn't carry herself the way most women here did…in fact, she carried herself in a way that just screamed lost. The way her head turned from side to side gave her away, and the fact that no self-respecting woman would be caught alive in this dump.

I followed the unsuspecting woman from the roofs, counting down the seconds. _Five._ In five seconds, she's going to attract the attention of a purse snatcher. _Eight_. In ten, maybe a couple perverts. _Fifteen_. In fifteen, a handful of drunks. In twenty, thugs who'd probably end up doing the worst. By the time I counted to twenty, the woman was surrounded by seven full grown men.

I jumped from the roof and landed in front of the woman before something could go wrong, "Okay, I'm gonna count to thirty, and if you aren't gone by the time I'm done…you'll all be unconscious," I said lightly to the men surrounding this woman.

"How do you plan on doing that?" One of the bigger guys sneered.

I grinned at the woman, "I love it when they ask that." I made quick work of the men. They were larger and stronger than me, but I'm more coordinated. I used one of threw one of them into his pal, causing them to slam against the brick wall of a closed down building. I struck one of them in the collar with my staff and elbowed another in the back. I dodged the barrage of punches and swings of bats and crowbars. I couldn't afford to get beat up too badly.

I took down two by throwing them against the wall. One I hit over the head with my staff. I tased number four. Numero cinco was kneed in the stomach and elbowed in the back. The last two guys were caught in a cable. I barely had a scratch on me. Sure, I'd be bruised in the morning, but that's nothing new. I turned to the woman who would have been a victim, but she wasn't there. Actually, there was no trace of her anywhere.

High pitched cackling filled the air around me. Eerily familiar and chilled me to the bone. Inwardly, I groaned, _How could I be so _stupid_? Stupid. Stupid. Stoo-pid_. It was all a set up. That woman wasn't in any danger. These thugs were all hired brutes for a larger picture that probably involved shooting a star out of the sky. If you didn't catch my meaning… a villainess wants me dead. Which one? Well, I have a pretty good idea. "You know, Star, that was quite impressive," her lilting voice carried on the night wind.

I groaned loudly, "Oh, God, not _you_. Come on, wanna-bat, don't you ever quit?" Okay, so you know how there's always that one villain who the heroes are always obsessed with? Batman is to Joker as Superman is to Lex Luthor? You get it? Well, meet my archenemy…sorta. She goes by the name Face Catcher, but her real name is Carmen Cress. She was a Gotham Academy graduate and freshman at Gotham U. She was once held hostage by the Joker. It was an accident that shouldn't have happened. I blame myself. A vat of toxic waste – the same chemical waste that created the Joker – was dumped on her. I watched as the once beautiful young woman was transformed into the faceless sadist that is Catcher. I heard her scream and watched as her features were burned away and flesh melded together. It was one of the most horrifying experiences of my life.

Before the accident, Carmen had a deep infatuation with the Batman. She had dreams of working alongside him, not unlike many children fantasize. After the accident, this obsession she had was blown way out of proportions. She started luring him out, and she targeted me and Robin out of paranoia and envy. Once, she told Batman that he _owed _her. That he had to take her under his wing after failing to save her. When he refused, she snapped. Catcher's almost as bad as the Joker in terms of insanity.

Tinkling laughter filled the air, "Yeah, Star, I'll quit…when I feel your bones crunching under my feet." She's a murderous manipulatory b**** and just plain creepy.

_Ouch, that's a little harsh_, I cringed. "You know, as much as I'd love that…I don't see that happening." I couldn't see her. She was here somewhere, and I just have to be careful.

"Where've you been, Star? It's been a while since we last danced," she stepped out of the shadows. Catcher wore a plain white mask that showed only one green eye that wasn't destroyed by the effects of the toxin. Her hair was a sickly yellow-green and chopped short, and the rest of her purple suit covered her entire body so no skin was visible. She resembled the man who ruined her life. Then she attacked me.

The toxins didn't have quite the same effect on Catcher as they did on the clown. It awoke the dormant X gene within her. She can melt her body and reform it. It's grotesque but it works. "I've been around," I shrugged. I saw a movement out of the corner of my eye. Can today not get any worse? I'd rather deal with Catcher than _him_. Next thing she knows, her body's trapped in red polyurethane foam. Red. As in Speedy's signature color.

"This isn't your city, Red," I remarked, throwing a thumb-sized capsule at the girl screeching from her prison. It released a mist that created a thick layer of ice around the hardened foam.

"That was unnecessary," Speedy informed me. He approached me from across the street.

I shrugged, "You can never be too careful." Damn, I sounded professional. It was as if we were complete strangers just now. "What are you doing here?" I asked coolly, taking out an untraceable phone to let the police know about this encounter.

"Robin called. He said you needed backup," Speedy replied. "You know Batman doesn't like you checking out this part of town, but I think the kid had other reasons for calling…" Someone remind me to make good on that hit list I started earlier.

I scoffed, "I can take care of myself. Thanks for the help, but it wasn't needed."

"You mean I'm not needed," Speedy retorted. "I'm just helping out, Star."

"I don't need your help, Speedy. I don't need a f****** babysitter!" I exclaimed angrily.

Catcher cackled, "Language, sweetheart." You know, I don't think anybody would notice if I just tweaked her digestive system just a little bit… She groaned as I strained the water based liquids in her body. Speedy glared at me, and I let go of my hold on her.

"Star, we need to talk," Speedy said, and his arm twitched as if he wanted to reach out but thought better of it.

I looked at the criminal encased with foam and ice, "Not here. Not now." I don't know about you guys, but I'm not one to expose my personal life to maniacs.

The young archer sighed, "Okay, Star. Meet me at the usual place later." He waited for my response before taking his leave.

I finally sighed, "Alright. I'll be there in twenty minutes tops." He offered a small smile before running into the dark.

"Trouble in paradise?" Catcher sneered.

I ignored her and called the police department, "Face Catcher's on Fortieth Street." I hung up abruptly, dropped the phone to the ground, and crushed it under my boot. Can't have those cops tracing it back.

"He's quite the looker. I wouldn't mind having _that_ face." I cringed at the insinuation in her

voice. I don't know if I mentioned this before, but Catcher has a nasty psychotic habit of carving faces off of people. Yeah. She's bats*** crazy. No pun intended.

I took a powerful leap backward, landing a few steps in front of her. I turned and extended my arm, holding her by the throat. I may not be his biggest fan right now, but I'm not letting this maniac get anywhere near Roy. "You aren't going to get anywhere _near_ Speedy," I said in a menacing low voice.

"Touchy, touchy," she sneered. I tightened my grasp around her neck, and she choked for air. "Okay, I get it," she hissed. I let go and lurked back into the shadows. I waited in an alley on my bike until the police came just to make sure that she didn't escape. As soon as I caught sight of the flashing lights, I sped away to find Speedy.

We used to hang out on the roof of a thirteen story law firm whenever he was in Gotham and we wanted to be alone. Things were really different back then. We didn't have this uneasy tension between us, and I wasn't a different species. I parked my bike around the corner in a tight spot between two buildings and took out the grappling cable from my belt. It was long enough to get me from down here to up there without trouble.

I climbed onto the flat roof and took in the view. Gotham's actually really, _really_ pretty. I looked everywhere but at Speedy, and he knew it. "What did you want to talk about?" I asked awkwardly because heroes _can_ be awkward too.

Speedy took off his feathered hat and ran a gloved hand through his red hair, "What do you think, Lia? You haven't spoken to me! I know we haven't exactly been on good terms lately, but you can at least try to explain to me what's going on!"

"Explain what?" I asked coolly, "My boyfriend in Bayville? It's not that confusing, Roy. I know, you must be amazed that maybe just _maybe_ you're not the end all." I could've sworn that he flinched with the blow to his ego.

"That is _not _what this is about," Speedy protested. Like hell it isn't. What else could this be about? The breakup occurred months ago. He should be _ecstatic_ that I'm finally over it. Besides, he dumped me, any reasons he has for acting up are completely illogical. Like he said, dating's only going to interfere with his apprenticeship. I _want_ him to be the best hero that he can be, and I won't be the one to take that possibility away from him. If I was to be honest here, I have the same ambition. I want to be as good a hero as Batman one day and maybe even surpass him.

"Then what is it about?" I asked.

"I want to know why you're still pissed at me. It's not like I haven't been trying. I want us to be friends, Lia, and I'd appreciate it if you'd make an effort too. If not for me, then for the guys." Ugh, he was pulling out the friends card.

"Come on, Speedy," I forced a smile, "you should know by now that I can keep my personal life separate from my business life." Hey, I've been doing it since I moved in with Bruce. I know how to keep my focus on what I'm meant to do and my emotions elsewhere. It's like I'm more than just two people. I have to keep every aspect of me apart so that none of it runs together.

He stood there with his little feathered hat pulled low, and his head hung low a little bit. His face was obscured from my view, but I could figure out that he was thinking or something. "Are we friends?" he asked abruptly. He looked up, and it was as if he could see into my soul. I could feel the intensity of his gaze as if he wasn't even wearing a mask.

What kind of question is that? Of course we're friends. We've been friends. All friends have rough patches, but it gets sorted out eventually. "Yes, of course," I replied.

"Then why won't you talk to me about anything?" Speedy demanded. He was accusing me of not talking to him about my life? What does he expect from me? Am I supposed to tell him every little detail of my day? We're big kids. We can take care of ourselves.

"What is this 'anything' you speak of?" I put air quotes around "anything" because it could mean just about…well…anything. There's a lot of stuff Roy knows about me ranging from my favorite color to my worst nightmares. Also, there are a lot of things Roy doesn't know about; including the experiments conducted on me as a child.

"I…just…anything!" he fumbled. He turned around and threw his arms up in exclamation, and when he turned back to face me, he looked conflicted. He breathed deeply. Maybe this isn't the best time for this conversation, but, then again, when is there ever a right time to argue with Speedy? He tried again. "Okay, Lia, the truth is…I miss you. I miss being your friend like we used to be," he admitted.

Hmm, I wonder how much it pained him to confess that. Knowing Roy, it was probably killing him to admit something so weak. I might as well give him another chance. JUST AS A FRIEND! I am not intending on breaking up with Pietro for Roy any time soon. "I'm sorry," I apologized. "I don't even know what I would have told you, and…ugh, I wish you wouldn't make it sound like I don't know what I'm doing! You, of all people, should know that I can take care of myself. I wasn't born yesterday, Speedy. You have to have some confidence in me."

"I do," he quickly responded to my doubt in his confidence. "It's this guy I'm concerned about. Not all guys are as nice to girls as Kaldur or me."

The concern is touching, but his lack of faith in my ability to protect myself is annoying. I'm not a nice girl in Gotham who can't take care of herself. I'm a f****** Mutant! I'm Batman's freaking apprentice _and_ cousin. Come on, Speedy, think. "I _know_ that. And you know what I do to guys who can't respect a girl? I fracture their femurs," I said seriously. He should know. I gave him a dislocated shoulder once and broken wrist another time. "I can take care of myself, Roy, and I know how to recognize when someone's using me. I'm not an idiot. Plus, you can't expect me to keep telling you things. It's not like you've been telling me everything that's been happening to you." I'm not accusing him of withholding anything from me. I'm just trying to prove a point.

"I tell you everything!" Roy defended himself immediately.

"Speedy…" I said in that voice adults use when they're trying to make you confess. Why do people think that actually works? "Let's be honest. Do you tell me about the girls who you've been dating lately?" Ollie dropped by the other day. We got to talking. It's not like I care, though. Nope. Not at all. I have Pietro. A really great guy who understands. He opened his mouth to protest, but I cut him off. "How about when you got a detention for cutting class?" Another tidbit from Ollie. "Or that you've been hanging out with some really shady guys?" This I found out from Dinah. Roy's school friends are kinda decent. They can be a little creepy sometimes, but it's not like Pietro's record is exactly clean. Apparently, Roy met a couple of guys at school who are pretty suspicious, and Dinah's concerned about their behavior and how they'd affect Roy.

"How do…" he started to ask.

I held up a hand to stop him, "I've crossed GA and Canary. I'm willing to get over this if you are…?" I offered the compromise, and I hope that he doesn't say something prideful to make me change my mind.

"Yeah, okay," Roy finally agreed, and he offered me a genuinely nice smile. Getting one of those from Roy is like getting a hug from Wolverine. Anyway, the smile got to me, and I threw my arms around his waist in a hug. What? I'm just glad that we aren't fighting anymore.

"I'm not interrupting anything am I?" a smooth, slightly arrogant voice remarked from above us. Ugh, I'd know that voice anywhere. It looks like Bruce's guests have arrived early.

**_A/N...Well, I did it! Roy and Lia are on good terms again...for now. Guess what, guys...I'm fencing in my last tournament on saturday, and I have to be there at 5:30 in the morning, but I might have more time for writing as soon as the season's over. _**

**_Any guesses as to who this stranger is? Thanks to all my awesome reviewers and readers; especially those of you who tried to comment links. You guys are legitimately the best!_**

**_edboy4926: well, you'll just have to wait and see how the story unfolds. Glad you like the pairing though. Five for you._**

**_MEleeSmasher: Ah! Why would you wish such torment on Lia?! I'm glad you like the story, though! _**

**_DrgnDrake: Thanks. It means a lot to me. _**

**_Keep on reviewing. (Review, review, review this fanfic!)_**

**_Postscript...if you get the parentheses then you're someone I love very much. Hint...the word quota is used..._**


	17. Chapter 17

**_A/N...So, I realized too late that the first season of X-Men:Evolution takes place over the course of the first semester. I won't go back to each and every chapter to correct the dates, but at the end of this chapter I'll include the corrections. I'm so sorry for the inconvenience. Starting with the next chapter, the dates will be correct._**

**_I do not own Marvel or DC characters. _**

_Present day – June 17, 2008 – Wayne Manor – Gotham, Connecticut_

An hour before the benefit, and I'm still walking around in sweats and a hoodie. Dick couldn't get out of it, so at least I'll have him in the room full of the elite and their families. Oh, I did kick his sorry ass for calling in Speedy. Well, there was a lot of yelling, but no violence. He's making good on his recovery, and I don't want him to be disabled for the event. Pietro's been calling and texting me nonstop. He seems excited. Who wouldn't be when meeting Bruce Wayne for the first time?

The florists were just finishing up with the centerpieces, and the caterers were filling up the kitchen. Alfred scurried around the house directing every action and approving every decision. Dick was in his room preparing for the benefit. Bruce was downstairs, in the cave, dressed in an expensive suit, trying to track down another criminal. There are a lot of those here. I better get ready, it's almost time for guests to be arriving.

I chose a floor length backless black gown for the night. It was simple and slender. The halter top straps clipped around my neck. The skirt didn't cling my body; allowing me movement. I strapped a holster of stariken to my right thigh…hey, you can never be too careful. Besides, I can't exactly hide a utility belt under this dress. I put on my makeup and diamond earrings with a matching necklace. I chose to wear strappy black heels to go along with the dress. I pulled my hair back in a curly bun, and curled two strands to frame my face. I looked at myself in the mirror. Nobody would look at me and think that I'm anything but human. In fact, I looked just like any other teenage girl spoiled rotten by a father high up in the corporate office.

There was knocking at my door. "Come in," I called out to whoever was out there. The doorknob turned, and I saw Dick standing there in a black suit with a white shirt and silver tie. His black hair was combed back nice and neat. He looked just like a good little school boy. This just goes to show, things aren't always what they appear to be. "You're looking sharp," I remarked.

"Thanks," Dick rolled his eyes, "I can barely breathe in this thing.

"I feel like walking eye candy," I retorted.

"You can always change," Dick shrugged.

"And look like less than a member of the board of a Wayne Enterprise branch?" I feigned shock. Appearances are everything. I have to look like a Wayne in this crowd if I want to keep them appeased. "You ready to put up with Luthor?" I asked Dick curiously. I can barely stand being in a room with him without wanting to hit something…I want to know how well Dick thinks he can put up with the man.

"I guess. I mean, as much as I'd like to, I can't cause trouble," Dick replied as if it was the obvious answer. Actually, it sounded like he was reciting from a handbook. He looked me in the eye and added, "And you shouldn't either."

I scoffed, "Don't you worry about me. I'll be too busy trying to make sure Pietro doesn't try to lift any of the guests." _Oh, that reminds me…_ "Don't try to pull anything on Pietro. I _will_ be watching you."

Dick's eyes went wide and innocent, "What? Me? Of course not." He sniggered when I turned my back. Of course he would say that. I decided to go ahead and take some extra precautions.

At that moment, Alfred knocked on the door, "Guests will be arriving soon."

"Thanks, Alfred," I called after him as his footsteps retreated down the hallway. I turned to Dick and gave him my most dazzling smile, "Come on, Grayson, let's go be good little charity cases." Dick just rolled his eyes, but accompanied me down the stairs.

Bruce was standing in a black tux and silver tie, judging the final scene for the evening. The foyer looked beautiful. White cloths covered every table top, and a colorful array of flowers served as the center pieces. The manor was immaculate, thanks to Alfred, as usual. "You two look good," Bruce said approvingly.

"Don't act surprised," I smirked. The most awkward part of these things is when you have one or two guests who show up first, and then you have to keep them occupied. It's terribly boring smalltalk. After the awkward first two guests, it was like people just kept flooding into my house. There were reporters and members of the social elite. I got caught into a conversation with Harry Osborn while waiting for Pietro to make an appearance. Dick disappeared as soon as he found the opportunity, so I pretty much got stuck with anyone else who didn't want to be here.

Harry's a decent guy. He's kinda spoiled, but that comes with the territory. Both of the Osborns have red hair and are tall in stature. Mr. Osborn has an intimidating air to him, but his son is much more laid back and relaxed. He's actually pretty cool. Unfortunately for him, I was just keeping my eye out for Pietro. I nodded as he kept talking. I think he was talking about school or something.

"…And then I robbed the bank across the street," Harry finished.

"Wait, what?" I asked confusedly. Harry doesn't rob banks. The ginger smirked at me, and I rolled my eyes. That was _not_ cool.

"What's up, Lia?" Harry with an amused smile, "You're distracted. That isn't like you."

"Sorry, Harry," I laughed with embarrassment, "I'm waiting for someone. He should be here by now." Especially considering that he has super speed. It's a little bit hard to be patient when you've been trying to make this meeting go smoothly. If nothing else, I want to make sure that Pietro makes a good first impression. Maybe he chickened out last minute. I spotted a shiny headed man in a black suit with beady little eyes shaking hands with one of Bruce's , at least he won't have to meet Luthor.

Then, I caught a glimpse of that trademark Mutant hair outside. I smiled to myself. "Hey, I'm gonna find you later, okay?" I asked Harry apologetically. I actually do feel kind of bad for leaving him alone like this. It's scary being alone with these socially inclined adults.

"Sure," he smiled. I waved a quick farewell and half _ran_ in _heels_ to the door so that I could get to Pietro before Dick or Bruce caught sight of him. Pietro wore a pale yellow button down shirt sloppily tucked into brown slacks with a matching jacket. His hair was gelled back as usual. He looked really, _really_ good. I beamed at him. Some of the unease seemed to leave his face when he saw me. A kind of goofy smile pulled at the corner of his lips as he took in the rest of my appearance. This whole time he's only been able to see me wearing my casual outfits. I'm _supposed_ to look good at these things.

"Hey," I greeted, feeling embarrassment warm my cheeks.

"Hey, Angel, you look…wow," Pietro stated.

"So do you," I laughed and took his hand in mine. "Come on, I want you to meet my cousins." I know that there were reporters and news casters just dying to get the story on my relationship. I can't have those guys ruining the night.

"Am I late?" Pietro asked worriedly. Wow, he's _really_ freaking out about this.

"No, you're fine," I promised. Bruce was talking to Warren Worthington…the Third. He's a blond guy, not too old. Another multi-millionaire in the world of millionaires. He's okay. I don't really talk to him that much.

"Does he always look that scary?" Pietro gulped loudly.

I laughed and squeezed his hand supportively, "He's not as bad as he looks." _He's a lot worse._ No need to give Pietro a heart attack, though. I pulled him with me towards the two businessmen. Bruce noticed our presence first. He looked up, and he put on his protective parent face. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "Bruce," I said, smiling at my cousin and then at the guest, "Warren, hey. This is my boyfriend, Pietro Maximoff."

Warren gave Pietro a nod and extended his hand, "Warren Worthington, it's nice to meet you."

"You too," Pietro shook the older man's hand. I shot Bruce a pointed look, silently willing him to say something polite to the delinquent in his home.

"Pietro, this is my cousin, Bruce Wayne," I introduced when it became clear that Bruce was trying to pull his strong, silent routine.

"Hello, Mr. Wayne, it's an honor to meet you, uh, sir," Pietro flustered. I gave a small sheepish smile. What? He's kind of cute when he's nervous. A nervous Pietro isn't something you see everyday.

"Thank you," Bruce said, lightening up a _little_ bit. "It's nice to finally meet you." I almost exhaled a breath I didn't realize I've been holding. I managed to hide it.

"Have you seen the shrimp hanging around here?" I asked Bruce before it could get awkward.

"I think the caterers have it," Warren replied, giving me a hard time.

I rolled my eyes, "Hillarious. Where's Dick? I want him to meet Pietro." Either cut the conversation short, or let Pietro get interrogated by the number one detective.

"He should be around here somewhere," Bruce stated. "So, Pietro, you go to school with Lia?" And the Spanish Inquisition round two begins. Well, there's no esaping Batman when he wants to get answers. Might as well suffer through it now. Besides, I'd prefer that Warren be the one to hear this compared to…

A hand came down on my head and an arm pulled me back by my waist. The hand on my head ruffled my hair, "Hey, kid! How're ya doing?" Think of the devil and the devil shall appear.

"Tony, get the hell off me!" I exclaimed irritably. I elbowed the man in the stomach and fixed my hair calmly. Pietro's eyes showed confusion, discomfort, and surprise. I haven't seen Iron Man since that night he flew in on me and Speedy. Now, instead of a metal red and gold suit of armor, Stark just wore a dark brown suit with a tie. I put my hand supportively on Pietro's back and glared at Tony.

The middle aged genius smirked at us and clasped Bruce's and Warren's shoulders in greeting, "Sorry, I'm late, guys. You wouldn't believe the traffic," he said apologetically. I almost scoffed. Doubtful. He's been here since way before just now. Chances are, he was out flying around _my _city running _my _patrol. I hate when heroes think they can just come in and start interfering with the way things are run here. "Who's this?" Tony's brown eyes landed on Pietro.

"This is Pietro," I stated simply. What? You think I'm just going to tell Tony Stark that Pietro's my boyfriend? Hell no. Do you have any idea how much s*** I would get from the Tin Man? "Pietro, this is the world's number one jackass, Tony Stark." I swear I saw Warren choke on his laughter. I can get away with saying things like that to Tony. He's a good guy to have around. Especially since the man is one of the top producers of weaponry in the country. Right up there with Lex Luthor.

"Don't listen to anything this girl says about me," he said and shook Pietro's hand, "she's out to get me, I tell you."

I scoffed, "He's just upset because I outsold him when Bruce was home, sick." Actually, Bruce got caught up with the Riddler so I got stuck in his place. Obviously, I did a pretty awesome job in the marketing department.

"Are you her boyfriend?" Tony asked Pietro.

"Yeah," Pietro said quickly. I'm sure that if he didn't process everything faster than normal people, he wouldn't have had the chance to answer at all.

"You're going to have your hands full with this kid," Tony warned him.

"I know," Pietro chuckled. I swatted his arm. Hey, if anything it's him who causes the trouble here. Out of the corner of my eye, I noted a black haired boy sneaking out of the kitchen. Everyone else missed it. I don't think Bruce was paying much attention either. I narrowed my eyes for a second and put my award winning smile back on.

"Don't scare him away," I ordered Tony.

"At least I won't have to, then," Bruce joked.

"Come on, guys," Warren said, "he seems like a good kid." Thank you God for Warren. He is the best thing to happen to me and Pietro tonight.

"We're just giving him a hard time," Stark playfully punched Pietro in the arm. "so, how'd you meet Lia?"

"We go to school together," Pietro answered. I was glad to see that the discomfort he emmitted earlier had finally gone. He seemed a little bit more at ease.

"Oh, right, you transferred to Bayville, didn't you?" Tony suddenly remembered, "How's that going?"

"It's okay," I shrugged. "It's definitely no Gotham Academy, but it's pretty good. Teachers are annoying, students are decent." My life in Bayville has been high school and danger room. Just the ordinary life of an ordinary mutant who's an ordinary hero.

"How are you doing in school, Pietro?" Bruce asked in his neutral polite voice. Ugh. I absolutely hate this side of Bruce. He knows I can take care of myself. I don't need a watcher.

"Eh, I'm doing okay. I'm no star student, that's for sure," Pietro answered vaguely. It's acceptable, I guess. Honestly, Pietro's grades aren't as bad as I thought they would be. His brain works faster than most humans so he can comprehend pretty well for someone who's most likely to drop out. He'd be doing so much better in school if he would actually show up and stop talking back to the teachers.

"But he's doing well," I added before Bruce can narrow his eyes in disapproval. I've seen it done before.

"So this is where you've been hiding," a voice said from behind me. I stiffened when I heard him. Bruce's eyes hardened immediately, and my hands balled into fists.

"Mr. Luthor," I greeted crisply. _Evil, manipulatory, monstrous, son of a b****_, I added silently.

"It's nice to see you again, Thalia," Lex Luthor said with a patronizing smile.

"Likewise," I lied.

"I don't believe I've met this young man," he inclined his head to Pietro.

"Pietro Maximoff, uh, sir," Pietro said uncertainly.

"Lex Luthor," Luthor stated, shaking my boyfriend's hand while I resisted the urge to make that champagne in his hand explode in his face…Tony openly glared at his marketing rival. Both of their companies are weapons manufacturers. Bruce kept up his professional appearance, but I knew that deep deep down, Batman was feeling as unhappy about him being here as me. Warren didn't seem to mind Luthor's presence at all.

"I'm going to try to find Dick. I'd like him to meet Pietro. It was nice to see all of you," I excused us before Luthor could get on my nerves. I'm not as patient as Bruce or Dick. I put my arm through Pietro's and led him away without making it obvious that I was doing such. "You did well," I told him.

"Are you sure? Your cousin looked kinda pissed," Pietro said worriedly.

"Oh, he always looks that way," I said flippantly. What? Well, he does! "You were great," I promised him.

"Thanks. I was pretty awesome wasn't I?" Pietro smirked. "So, what's up with that Tony guy? I don't like the way he was messing with you."

Aww, he was being protective. How sweet. "He's a good friend, and he's someone you'd want on your side," I replied. One doesn't want Iron Man as an enemy. It's like declaring yourself an enemy of the country. I'm already a damn vigilante, I don't need the rest of America on my ass.

"Meaning?" Pietro asked curiously. S***, I didn't think he'd ask so many questions. Gratefully, I caught up with the kid. He was skulking around the party, avoiding everyone taller than him…basically everyone. I grabbed him by the arm and wrenched him around to face us.

"Hey, Dicky boy!" I exclaimed cheerfully and threw my arm over his shoulders.

"Lia," Dick grumbled and shrugged my arm off embarrassedly. I know cousin cooties aren't exactly how you look cool in front of a fellow guy. Whatever…sneaking into the kitchen to cause mischief isn't cool either.

"This bucket full of sunshine is my cousin, Dick. Dick, I'd like you to meet Pietro," I introduced them. Praying that Dick wasn't planning on making Pietro look stupid in front of this crowd. What? You don't think the little gremlin isn't capable of doing it?

"Hi," Dick said professionally, "it's nice to meet you."

"Yeah, you too," Pietro said. He seemed much more relaxed with Dick than Bruce. I think he's a bit mixed up here. I should've told him who to be careful of. Bruce may not like him, but there's nothing the man can do about it. Dick, on the other hand, will screw with Pietro to the point that he's gonna think he's imagining everything.

Now, if Dick thinks that he can outsmart me then he has another thing coming. I know that boy has something planned and I'm going to turn it right back at him. "So, Pietro," Dick said conversationally, "are you a serial killer?" Pietro chuckled at my cousin, and I just sipped my champagne casually. Well, we all knew someone was going to be asking the intense questions around here. Originally, I anticipated it to be Bruce, but he'd be too busy keeping up appearances. That left Dick, and of course, he's going to inform Bruce of everything that Pietro says. I wouldn't be surprised if he was recording the whole conversation for later purposes. Pietro stopped laughing when he realized that Dick was completely serious.

"No, I'm not a serial killer," he replied.

"Ever gotten arrested?"

Pietro swallowed, and I smiled supportively at him. It wouldn't help his cause if he lied about his track record. "Y-yeah," he admitted.

"What for?" Dick continued.

"Vandalism," Pietro and I said at the same time. Pietro sounded indignant, and I just sounded bored. This isn't anything Dick doesn't already know.

"Why are you going out with my cousin?" Dick sounded more like Bruce right then than I have _ever _heard him. Not even when he was trying to intimidate gangsters and drug dealers, Dick didn't sound _that_ much like our mentor.

"Because she's the best person I've ever had in my life," Pietro replied without a second thought. I smiled at him; that was sweet. Possibly the sweetest thing he's ever said about me.

"And if you ever forget it…" Dick started to threaten. I set my drink on a passing tray and covered Dick's mouth with my hand in one fluid motion.

"And if you ever finish that sentence…" I muttered to the kid before releasing him.

Dick rolled his eyes, "You aren't _that_ scary, Lia." I glared him down, and he relented. Dick turned to Pietro, "You go to school with her don't you? How much trouble do you get in there? Do you cause a lot of trouble? 'Cause I don't want her to get hurt. She's a pain, but she's family."

"Look, kid, I won't let anything happen to your cousin," Pietro promised the young hero.

Dick glared at the mutant, "You shouldn't make promises you can't keep." Dick knows the risks our line of work puts us in. There's _always_ a chance that we might not make it home. Heroes…we protect the people who do the protecting. I mean it, though, one day, you can be going to school and never come home for dinner. I know that if anyone ever raised a gun against my family, I'd take it so that they could live to fight another day. That's the thing about us hero types, we'd stand between anyone who tries to hurt the people we love and the people we'd die for. Wally, Roy, Kaldur, Dick, Ollie, Bruce, Barry, Dinah, J'onn, Diana, Hal, Clark….all of us…

"It's a promise I intend on keeping," Pietro stated. That snapped me out of my thoughts. Pietro's no hero. Not by a long shot. In fact, if I didn't know him, I wouldn't trust him as far as I could kick him, but the fact that he wanted to protect me was touching.

Dick stared him down before laughing in that boyish way of his, "Then you have no idea who you're going out with." The insinuation in his voice was clear enough. _He has no idea who he's going out with, but _Roy_ does._ Dammit, when are he and KF going to get over the breakup? The rest of us already have.

"Dick," I warned.

"She's going to be the reason why you die, man," Dick continued. He was trying to scare Pietro, and I think it might be working a little bit. To any other guy, it might sound like Dick was threatening his life, but I understood what he was talking about. If Tro wanted to protect me, he'd be the one to die. I'm not like most girls. Most girls need a guy to protect them from perverts and nightmares. I'm the girl who has to protect guys from psychotic murderers. "Or she'll end up dying to save your life."

"Then I'll just have to be faster than her," Pietro stated. After I stopped mentaly comparing myself to a normal girl, I started to go on guard. Why is Dick pushing it? Pietro doesn't know that I'm a sidekick…

"Dick, I think that's enough, don't you?" I asked lightly.

"I haven't even started yet," Dick argued.

"Fine," I snapped at him and sighed. "I"m going to go to the ladies' room. I'll be right back." I felt kind of bad for leaving Pietro alone with Dick, but it had to be done. I wasn't actually planning on going to the bathroom. I headed in the direction of the first floor powder room, and then I slipped into the crowd and headed for the kitchen.

The huge industrial kitchen was alive with caterers. I found the chef we hired for the evening. He wore a black apron and directed the kitchen like Batman directing me and Robin. In other words, the guy was in complete control of the situation. I approached him. He was in his thirties, Caucasian, and tall.

"What are you doing in here?" he demanded. Apparently, nobody told him who he was working for.

"Thalia Wayne, nice to meet you," I stated, making sure that he knew exactly who I am. "Did a boy walk in here not that long ago? Short, black hair, white, suit and tie, about this tall?" I held my hand up at roughly Dick's height. The chef nodded, I could tell that he was impatient and wanted to get back to his job. "What did he want?" I asked.

"He said that one of the guests asked for an extra spicy entrèe," the chef informed me.

"Which guest?" I inquired.

"A Pietro Maxi-something," the chef replied flippantly.

"Maximoff," I corrected. "I'm so sorry about that," I exclaimed apologetically. "My cousin, Richard, he's on a strict diet, and he'll do anything to get out of it. I told him to remind you to give him an extra spicy meal tonight, and he said he told you already. I figured he would try to pull something like this. Would you please send that meal to Richard Grayson and a regular meal to Mr. Maximoff?"

"Of course," the chef said.

I smiled gratefully at him, "Thank you. I have no idea what that boy was thinking. I mean, this benefit is very important for Bruce." I was laying it on thick, but so be it. This should teach Robin a thing or two. I slipped out of the kitchen and made my way back to Dick and Pietro. Pietro looked like he wanted to do nothing but run far away, but he stood his ground while Dick kept talking.

"Angel!" he yelped and pulled me close to him.

"Why do you call her that?" Dick asked.

"It's a dumb story," I said before Pietro even opened his mouth. Yeah, he might be fast, but I'm no snail. "What'd I miss?"

"I was just getting to know him better," Dick stated.

"Of course you were," I said suspiciously. Dick didn't seem to be glaring at Pietro as heavily as he was when I left. Maybe they had gotten along in my absence, but you never know with Dick.

"Well, it was nice to meet you, Pietro," Dick smirked and shook an awestruck Pietro's hand before disappearing into he crowd. It was as if the boy had never been standing there two seconds ago. He was probably hiding in the library by now.

"That's…one special kid," Pietro managed to say.

"Don't let him fool you," I warned him. "Dick's a smart kid. He probably got that whole conversation on tape."

"Wh-what?" Pietro exclaimed fearfully. I just laughed at him.

"Say something you don't want anyone to hear?" I asked jokingly.

"Not at all," Pietro stated and he hugged me close to him. Well, if nothing else at least I had Pietro at my side for the evening.

The rest of the night went along smoothly. I managed to keep Pietro and Luthor as far away from each other as posisible. Dick was nowhere to be found. Bruce was the very epidemy of relaxed professionalism. I pulled off the part of the good, non-violent young lady. By the time everyone took their seats for dinner, all hell broke loose.

Bruce sat at the head of the table with me to his left and Dick on his right. Pietro sat next to me, and one of Bruce's business partners sat next to Dick. Stark, Luthor, and the Osbournes had already left by then. The only people who stayed were about fifty of Bruce's business partners, some high society folks, and Pietro. I admit, the boy has guts to stay in a room with my family this long.

"So, are you on any sports teams?" Bruce asked Pietro during the salad course of the meal.

"I was on the basketball team at my old school. I don't play much anymore," Pietro answered. He still seemed cautious of every word he said, but he slipped back into his cool confidence.

"I used to be quite the basketball player when I was in college. Why don't you play anymore?" Bruce wondered. My cousin actually did play a lot of basketball in college. Well, when he wasn't traveling the world learning how to defend himself in a fight.

"School stuff. It's kinda hectic with all the work and extracurriculars I'm doing," Pietro made it sound like his after school activities didn't involve recruiting mutants to join the Brotherhood.

"What kind of extracurriculars?" Dick asked curiously in that way only Dick can sound. He's a child. Well, he's childish. Just a little bit. Yeah, he's a little bit too mature for his age, but sometimes that little boy in him makes an appearance.

"I help with recruitment," Pietro smirked. I rolled my eyes, it's not like there's another _school_ that incoming freshman in Bayville can go to. "I do some running, too," he said. I resisted the urge to scoff. Now he's just being a smartass.

"Track?" Bruce asked as the servers brought the main course. It was a spiced chicken breast with a side of potatoes. I feel like my whole night was just about to get better.

"Cross country," Pietro corrected. Yeah, cross country all right. The boy can run to China and back without breaking a sweat.

"Lia used to be in the computer programming club and the mathletes at Gotham Acadamy," Dick stated.

"I didn't know she's so smart," Pietro smirked at me. He has _no idea_ how smart I am.

"She's athletic too," Dick remarked with a grin at me.

"Trust me, I know," Pietro stated. Well, he sort of knew. Honestly, I haven't needed to fight at my best against the Brotherhood. They aren't as much of a threat to me as the Joker or Catwoman or Catcher. I've been at ease when I fight the Mutants I've faced lately, and he hasn't even seen me on a patrol.

The woman, the wife of a business man, sitting next to me pulled me into a conversation about the stock market. Trust me, that is the worst conversation topic. My focus remained on Dick and Pietro. Dick subtly smirked as Pietro put a piece of chicken into his mouth. You could literally see Dick's face fall when Pietro didn't choke on extra spicy chicken breast. Irritably, Dick ate a piece of the meat. The expression on his face was priceless. He coughed the bite into his napkin and gulped down his whole glass of water. The guests looked at him like he was crazy while he glared at me across the table, wiping his tongue on the napkin to get the hot flavor out of his mouth. I laughed softly at him.

"Problem, Dick?" I asked innocently.

"Yoo ah a tewibbeh perthon," Dick managed to grumble at me. Then something broke through one of the windows.

"What was that?"

"Lia? Where are you?"

"What's going on?"

The sound of chairs scraping on the ground let me know that the guests were already up and moving. It was a smoke grenade that released a green cloud. Dick, Bruce, and I all made immediate eye contact The three of us relayed our thoughts with our eyes before we couldn't see anyone or anything other than the smoke.

We devised a plan in seconds because the three of us have the same mentality and problem solving skills. Dick and Bruce took off for the Batcave, and I stayed with the crowd. In a normal situation, I would have gone along with the boys, but Pietro's presence was a liability. He could easily get in the way.

"Pietro?" I asked with sincere concern in my voice. I felt the familiar breeze created by his speed, and then he was holding my shoulders protectively. Funny, considering that this is the same guy who punched me in the stomach and kidnapped me.

"I'm here, Angel," Pietro assured me. I didn't need his assurance, he should know that I can take care of myself. Then a shadowy figure raised its arms through the smoke.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, your entertainment for this evening," a familiar, hysterical voice exclaimed. "The one, the only, Joker!" the clown howled with laughter and stepped out of the smoke. At one point, he was just a human like any other. After a tragic incident, the Joker was born. His green hair was cut to a medium length, his skin was stained a permanent chalky white, and a gruesome smile was plastered on his face. He wore his trademark purple suit the way Batman wore his trademark cape. _This_ clown is number one on Bats' most wanted list. He's a psychopathic, homicidal maniac, and he's the most difficult guy to catch and keep locked up.

_What's the Joker doing here of all places_? I wondered while the crowd gasped in shock and fear. I don't see any motive Joker might have for breaking into Wayne Manor. Maybe to draw out the boss? To instill fear in Gotham's elite? Wreak havoc? Joker's a lunatic, the only way I could ever understand his actions is by trying to think like a madman.

"Aww, why the long faces?" the Joker asked with an exaggerated expression of concern. "Just one little laugh? Please?" He took out two hand held smoke bombs; undoubtedly, they were filled with Joker venom.

"What the hell is he doing?" Pietro hissed under his breath.

"That's a great question," I replied. _Come on, come on. What the hell is taking those two so long?_ I thought. This is their home, not some street or bank. They better get their sorry asses up here soon before I take the clown on myself.

"Joker," my cousin's low monotone called from above. Okay, now that Batman has this guy's attention, I can get everyone out of the house.

"We have to get out," I said loud enough for the guests to hear me over their panic. "Please leave through the front doors in an orderly fashion." God, I sounded like a flight attendant or something. They didn't move. I sighed in aggravation. I hate it when people don't listen to me. Okay, I tried being nice to get their attention. "Hey!" I shouted irritably. They stopped their shuffling and whimpering to look at me at the head of the table, "Move your asses and get the hell out of my house! Unless you guys want to be Joker food, I suggest you do it quickly!" Hey, sometimes a little push is necessary.

Well, that got their attention. Faster than I ever thought was possible for these people, they took off for the doors screaming in their high heels and tailored suits. The only problem is that Joker's lackies were stationed at the door. Well, damn. That does pose a problem. They were ugly big guys with masks that matched the clown theme of Joker's face.

"Lia," Pietro said in a low voice, "I'll take care of them…" I held his wrist, making sure that he doesn't get involved. Then the boyish chuckle resounded from nearby. The clowns turned around, searching for the source of the laughter. Robin dropped down from above the doorway and kicked one of the brutes' face into the other one's.

"Everyone, go!" Robin ordered. The wealthy guests ran as a single wave out of the mansion and to their cars. I stayed in the foyer to ensure that all of the civillians got out safely. Robin continued to do combat with the goons, and Batman attempted to avoid Joker's jackknives. I wanted to jump in and assist my cousins, but I couldn't with Pietro standing right there.

"Angel, come on," Pietro pulled me with him out of the manor. I can't believe what's going on. I'm standing here while the Joker is inside _my_ house endangering _my_ family, and I can't do anything because Pietro's there. We stood in the drive way, and I watched while Robin fought. He had taken out his batarangs by now. There were at least eight visible opponents, and they all looked the same. Robin was busy with three of them, and he was having trouble. Dick was still recovering from the injury I gave him during practice.

I saw one of the henchmen take a knife out. He was in one of Robin's blind spots, and the kid wouldn't be able to catch it while he's preoccupied. Well, that's enough thinking for me. I extended my hand, reaching for the clown with the weapon. His body froze under my control, and I threw him at another of the henchmen. The two of them flew into one of the many trees on our property. A second later, Pietro was gone from my side, and two more were knocked out cold. I felt him return as soon as it happened. I smiled to myself and held his hand tightly. I looked at Robin and saw that he was handling the rest.

Within minutes, Robin had tased two of the criminals and knocked out the other two. He tied them up with cables practically impossible to break. Then he stood up and looked straight at me and Pietro. I know that Dick may not approve of Pietro, but at least now he sees that Pietro might not be that bad of a guy. Suddenly, the foyer filled with a dark cloud of smoke that blocked us from seeing anything happening inside. Was it Joker venom? If so, Batman would need me and Robin as soon as possible…A window broke and Joker took off running. Batman followed him out through the window, and they disappeared into the night.

I looked back to where Robin had been standing. He was gone, and he left me to clean up the mess. That little brat. I turned to Pietro and laughed, "Well, uh, that didn't go exactly as planned." He just smiled back at me and held me a little tighter.

**_A/N...Okay, I'm not very impressed with this chapter, but I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you think. Thanks for everyone's support. I'm sorry for any grammatical or spelling errors. I got a new Macbook, and I turned the spellcheck off. I promise that my mistakes will be fixed from the point that I get Word for my Mac and one.  
_****_So, I also noticed that I made a few mistakes with some small details regarding the timeline earlier in the story. They aren't important, but they're bugging me so I'm apologizing for that. _**

**_Timeline Corrections_**

**_Instead of Lia realizing her abilities in October of 2007, the occurrence will take place during the summer of 2007. _**

**_Instead of Lia transferring to Bayville in March of 2007, she will transfer at the end of the first quarter in October. _**

**_Instead of Lia going to Gotham for summer vacation, she will only be there for a Thanksgiving break that lasts for four days, but she will still have done the same exercises. Dick's injury still happened, but he is still recovering. _**

**_The next chapter will begin with Season 2 during the second semester of Lia's freshman year. Again, I'm sorry for the inconvenience. Please bear with me. _**


	18. Chapter 18

_Present Day - November 25, 2007 - Westchester High, New York_

Eleven seconds remaining on the clock. The score is tied, four to four. Kitty and Kurt managed to drag me with them, Evan, and Scott to Jean's semi-finals soccer game. I wish I could've just stayed at the Institute. I told them that people would stare, and I didn't want to draw attention away from Jean today…They didn't listen to me.

"And, with seven seconds to go, the ball is passed to Bayville High's star striker, Jean Grey," the commentator said on the speakers.

"Alright! Jean, go for the goal!" Scott cheered enthusiastically.

"Go! Let's Go!" Kitty shouted.

"All the way, Jean!" Wow, Summers is getting really into this.

I cheered along with the others as Jean evaded the other team's defense and kicked the ball right into the goal. "She shoots, and it's good! And that's the game! Bayville's aced the semi-finals," the commentator stated.

"Way to go super star!" Kurt exclaimed.

"Yeah! That's what I'm talkin' about!" Scott shouted. We walked down the bleachers to congratulate our friend on her job well-done. She and the other girls ran off the court towards the crowd.

"Jean! You were fantastic!" Scott shouldered past some ecstatic cheerleaders, but Duncan got to the red head first.

"Hey, Jean, way to go," he praised her and hugged her. "You stomped them like bugs on a sidewalk." He had this look on his face that came off as creepy to me, but hey, Jean liked it.

"Mhmm," Kitty said sarcastically, "that Duncan, he knows just what a girl wants to hear."

"A real charmer," I agreed with an eyeroll. I glanced at Scott. The boy looked ready to hit a wall.

Jean laughed, "Thanks, Duncan. Yeah, everyone played really well today." She was right, though. It was a pretty good game.

"Jean," Scott interrupted the two athletes, "we're taking off. You ridin' or walkin'? When did anyone say we were gonna go? I don't recall having that conversation.

"Oh, Scott, uh…" Jean started, "that's okay…but Duncan is driving me home."

"Yeah," Duncan sneered at Scott. "Hey, Summers, maybe we'll even get lost along the way. " Dear God, can he be any more creepy?

"With you drivin', that's pretty much expected," Scott retorted as Duncan put his arm around Jean and walked away.

"Does he give anyone else the creeps?" I asked them while we headed to the car. Evan decided to ride his skateboard back on his own, so it was just the four of us in Scott's convertible.

"Just who does that guy think he is anyway?" Scott grumbled to himself bitterly while we were stuck in traffic. The others were preoccupied with picking something on the radio to hear him

"Just let it go, already," I snapped irritably. We could've just taken the local roads to get back to the Institute, but, no, Scott just had to use the highway. Nobody listens to me. Kitty changed the radio station again, and Kurt told her to stop on one.

"Get real," Kitty said disdainfully, "the Stone Ciphers? Their music is so…last millennium."

"Oh, not true," Kurt argued, "they rock big time! Tell her, Scott."

"Scott? Hello," Kitty tried to get his attention.

"It's no use," I told her.

"Huh?" Scott snapped out of his thoughts and came back to the real world where he was sitting behind the wheel in heavy traffic. A car honked its horn excessively, and Scott was forced to change lanes before we could get into an accident, "Whoa! Hey!" Police sirens soon followed the speeding car, and the cars altogether stopped moving.

"What's his hurry?" Kurt asked.

"I don't know," Kitty said and shrugged. "Maybe it's the twelve police cars on his tail. Just a hunch." We all turned around to get a better look at what was going on.

"Let's go check it out," I suggested and undid my seatbelt to follow with the chase. It happened in slow motion in my mind. The car ran a red light, and a bus stopped in the middle of the intersection to avoid a collision. Then the speeding car broke through a guardrail a story above the bus, and it was on the verge of falling.

"Oh no!" Scott exclaimed in horror. There were kids in that bus, and they would all be crushed if the car came down on them. I couldn't let that happen. Three helicopters flew overhead, watching the scene unfold.

Scott, Kitty, Kurt, and I got out of the car. "We've got to do something!" Kurt exclaimed.

"No!" Scott protested, "There are too many news cameras." He held Kurt back.

"Screw them!" I exclaimed and ran past them. I watched the car slip further off the ledge.

"Lia, we can't!" Scott grabbed my wrist.

"But what about those kids?" Kitty panicked. A piece of concrete fell onto the roof of the bus, and I tried to pull out of Scott's grip.

"They're gonna _die_, Scott!" I angrily snapped at him. What the hell does he think he's doing? Those are innocent kids, and they aren't going to live if we don't do something fast.

"Kurt!" Scott exclaimed as soon as the car completely fell over.

"I'm on it," Kurt replied and poofed away. Kurt would be able to save that driver, but what about those kids? I reached for my belt in the lining of my jacket. If I could get a stariken or two out, I could blow the car up before it hurts the kids, but…that would create a huge explosion with the gas tank. I was trapped in a corner. I couldn't do anything to help.

Scott took off his shades a second before it was too late, and the blast sent the car back. It fell safely on the road and caught fire under the hood. The kids ran out of the bus screaming, and the car's driver stumbled out from behind the bus. The cops were on him within seconds. I slipped away from the crowd before anyone could notice me. I watched from the roof of a supermarket as Scott, Kitty, and Kurt phased through the wall of a coffee shop across the street. That call…was too close.

It was still just my first day back from Gotham, and _this_ is what goes on. It wasn't even three yet! The first thing I did when we got back to the Institute was go up to my room. The first thing I noticed when I arrived this morning were the new recruits. There were about nine of them walking around the institute. Luckily for me, I still don't have a roommate.

It's been a busy two days for me. Yesterday night, after Joker crashed our little party, Robin, Batman, and I all retreated into the Batcave. We sat there for hours, and we couldn't figure out why Joker would attack Wayne Manor. I guess when you're a maniac, you don't really need a reason. At least Bruce and Dick warmed up to Pietro a little bit after he assisted Robin with the henchmen. Then I zeta tubed to New York, and Mr. Z dropped me off at the Institute. As soon as I got back and brought my bags up to my room, I was whisked away to the soccer semi-finals. What I really need…is a nap.

"Maybe we better not mention what happened to anyone," Kurt suggested worriedly. "You think?"

"Well, we could just keep quiet about it for a while," Kitty agreed, but she sounded doubtful, "like, say forever."

"Think it's a bit late for that," I said, noticing Ms. Monro, Logan, and Professor Xavier in front of the building.

"Or we can blame it all on Kurt," Kitty quickly said.

"Hey!" Kurt protested.

The professor sent Kitty and Kurt on their way and asked to see me and Scott in his office. I knew we were in trouble…heaps of trouble. The professor rolled around his desk, Scott stood looking out the window, and I stood in front of the desk. "Well?" Professor X prompted us.

"The thing that really gets me is that I hesitated," Scott admitted. "I was so worried about anyone seeing me that I almost acted too late. And why? I mean, helping others and saving lives should be the most important thing we do with our powers."

"Scott," the professor cut in, "I know this is a confusing issue. Yes, helping others is the right thing to do, but we must also try to remain anonymous. At least for the present." He sounded as if he was chastising a child.

"It's like we're hiding in shame! What's the harm in letting people know?"

"Because many of these same people simply aren't ready to embrace the fact that Mutants walk the earth," Professor X explained. "Look, Scott, I'm not blaming you for what you did. In fact, I'd have done the same thing in your place. I'm just saying, you need to do what you can. Without revealing what you are."

Scott sighed heavily, "I don't know, Professor. I'm having a hard time with this one." Scott walked out with his head down, leaving me with the professor.

Professor Xavier looked out the window, "What do you have to say about this, Thalia?" Huh, I was starting to wonder if he had forgotten my presence.

"I think Scott's right," I admitted. "I, for one, can't just sit back when innocent people are put in danger like those kids were."

"Yet, you weren't the one to act," he pointed out. I looked away. He was right. There wasn't anything I could do in that situation.

"If Scott hadn't acted the way he had," I started slowly, "then I would've. I'm sorry, Professor, but if exposure is the price I have to pay to protect the innocent, then I'll pay it."

"Thalia, I understand how you're feeling," the professor stated, "but you have to think carefully about these situations. You can't allow the others to act recklessly. I put great faith in you, Thalia. I know that you understand more than the others do that this is a delicate situation we are in."

He's right. I know that the world isn't ready to know that Mutants exist, even though they're being protected by metahumans and aliens…I understand that, for now, we have to lie low because Mutants and humans aren't the only ones who are going to suffer. If Mutants come out now, the League's going to get involved too, and I can't allow that to happen either. "Even so," I said surely, "when people are in danger, we can't do _nothing_. You said so yourself, Professor, you would have done the same thing."

I walked out with a splitting headache. This secrecy is too much. I could've done _something_ to help. Maybe not with my powers, but with my equipment. Hell, I could've had Superman there before anything happened, but I didn't do it. I'm selfish. I could've saved those kids without blowing the secret of what we are, but I didn't because I'm too keen on keeping my secret identity. Wait, no, that's not it. I would've done something, even if it meant being discovered. I flopped down on my bed.

_What kind of hero am I? I can't even save kids from a falling car_, I threw a pillow at the wall angrily. The stupid thing is that I could've done it. I could have saved them with just a grappling hook, but I didn't. Scott was right, though. He shouldn't have hesitated. Neither of us should have. The professor looks up to us to lead our team, and we let him down. This whole thing could've been avoided if Jean had been there. She's a telekinetic. If she had been there, this never would've happened.

"Hey," Kitty knocked on the door, "can I come in?"

"Yeah," I answered. The girl walked through my door and saw me sitting in my bed with my hands clenched into fists.

"You okay?" she asked with concern, "What'd the professor say?"

I groaned, "He thinks that we should've taken a more subtle approach. It totally sucks! Scott and Kurt just saved a bus full of kids from getting crushed to death, and they get in trouble for it. It's not fair! Then the professor has to go and make it sound like I did something wrong by supporting it! You know what? I don't care if I'm a Mutant or a human or a freaking alien! I don't care who the hell's in charge! Innocent people shouldn't get hurt because we're too afraid to act."

"Damn, what's got you all riled up?" Rogue walked in and joined the conversation.

"Scott got caught on the news for saving a bus of kids," Kitty explained.

"Well, don't get too worked up about it," Rogue advised. "We all got school tomorrow." I appreciated the change in subject, but still not a subject I want to approach.

"Yeah, okay," I relented, "I'm gonna take a shower." I really wasn't feeling up to a conversation with anyone on the team right now. I just don't get it. Am I really the only one here who understands that people shouldn't be sacrificed to keep a secret? Two days in a row. I've been useless twice already. I couldn't fight the Joker because I was Thalia, and I couldn't use my powers because I was Thalia Wayne. I couldn't save those kids because I'm Thalia, and I couldn't use my powers because there's nothing they could have done. How many times is this going to keep happening to me?! I can't stand it! The showerhead exploded. I turned the torrent of water off, but it just kept leaking. I created a cork out of the water already in the pipes and took the remains of the showerhead with me when I walked out.

One of the new Mutants walked towards the bathroom with a towel on her arm. "The shower's broke," I ground out.

#*#*#*

The next day, the school had an all-school assembly to start the day right after first period. Mr. Richards informed us about it after the late bell rang. Pietro was leaning back in his chair with his hands folded behind his head, "Hey, Angel."

I smiled at him and sat at my desk, "Hey. Sorry about last night. Things didn't really go as we planned."

"Everything's okay, though, right?" he asked.

"Yeah. Bruce was actually pretty impressed with you," I informed him.

"Really?" he looked surprised.

"Congratulations," I smirked.

"Did they ever catch the freak who broke in?" Pietro asked curiously. I wish. I suited up as soon as Pietro left and followed after Batman with Robin. We must've searched every street in Gotham, but we came home empty handed. There was _nothing_.

"He disappeared," I all but growled.

"I could've gone after him," Pietro pointed out. True, but what would I do if I had to meet up with him dressed as Black Star? Would he recognize me? Would I want him to? All of these secrets…there are too many of them.

"I know, but the Joker's dangerous. You saw what he did. He's a complete and total lunatic. He's dangerous, Pietro," I said sternly while our classmates fooled around.

"And I'm not?" Pietro teased. _Not like the Joker,_ I thought. Pietro has the potential to be a dangerous enemy, but I don't want to think about him like that. He isn't a villain, not really. He's just a guy who believes in a good that's different than what I believe. He might be a bit of a criminal, but he is _not_ a villain.

"Not like this guy," I said seriously. "I mean it, Pietro, that guy was bad news. Even if you went after him…look, I couldn't stand it if anything happened to you, okay?" He dropped it after that, and the class was dismissed for the assembly. Pietro and I walked with his arm around me. Principal Darkholme hasn't been seen since finals week. Rumor had it that we were getting a new principal starting today. I guess that an assembly would be in order. I mean, the girls were heading to the championship and we do have a new principal. I caught sight of Kitty walking down the hallway. "I'll catch up with you later," I kissed him on the cheek and chased after my friend.

"Trouble in paradise?" Kitty asked jokingly.

I smirked at her, "I'll tell you when you're older." Inwardly, I sighed. I don't know if I'd ever be able to tell my friends at Bayville about my life in Gotham. I just... I just don't know if they can handle it yet. A guy from one of Kitty's classes joined us. He's a pretty decent guy. Smart, too. The kids at school call him Arcade because of his infamous computer hacking abilities. We talked about normal things like school and clubs and sports. Kitty was going to go out for track, and she asked me if I was going to join any after school activities.

"Nah. I'm not really interested," I shrugged. The gym was filled up with students on the bleachers and a podium in the middle of the court. I saw Kurt and Evan sitting higher up on the bleachers, but I stuck with Kitty.

"Too good for us suburban sports teams, huh, rich girl?" Kitty teased me from Arcade's other side. I rolled my eyes. She knew how annoying it was when somebody called me a rich girl. Not that I'm _not_, but that doesn't make me any better than anyone the way Bianca seemed to think it did.

"God, Kitty, I have enough on my plate as it is." I watched a paper airplane glide from higher up on the bleachers and caught sight of the Brotherhood loitering by the doors being too cool for the rest of us. Toad jumped up and down with his long-ass tongue shooting out of his mouth like a frog. _That idiot,_ I thought disdainfully, _he's going to get himself dissected one day. _

I saw Pietro motion to us, and Lance irritably flicked his toothpick onto the floor. The guys were laughing pretty heartily. Lance swung his arm at Pietro, but the white haired speedster shielded himself behind Fred. Kitty's attention was divided between Webber and the guy on her other side. Rogue walked by, and I wondered if I should sit with her instead…but I decided against it since she didn't stop to sit with us this time.

Suddenly, Lance pushed the blond guy next to Kitty over, "Oh, hey, Kitty, didn't see you there."

"Oh, look, it's the walking Rictor scale. Shouldn't you be erupting somewhere?" Kitty blew him off. Well, damn. That's a bit harsh, but it was funny. The rest of the Brotherhood thought so too. I could hear them from where I sat.

"And now, everyone, let's give a warm Bayville High welcome to our new principal, Mr. Edward Kelly," Mr. Richards announced at the podium and shook the new principal's hand. Mr. Kelly appeared to be in his forties. He had dark brown hair and thick rimmed glasses. We all clapped and cheered. It was all kind of unnecessary if you ask me. Then, out of nowhere, the ground started to shake and Mr. Kelly stumbled back. Kitty and I turned to glare at Lance, and the tremor stopped. He waved at her, and I think Kitty might have laughed a little bit when she turned around. Encouraged by this, Lance leaned forward.

"Hey, Kitty, wanna see some real shakin'?" Lance caused an even stronger quake than the one he did seconds ago. The scoreboard broke away from the ceiling right above our new principal. Oh, great, two principals in one year. Anyway, back to the important thing. Kelly shouted out in fear of being crushed to death and jumped out of the way. The scoreboard flew across the gym before it could hurt anyone. I figure that Jean was in there with us.

"Lance," Kitty said angrily, "get a clue, okay?" I shook my head in disapproval of his stupidity. Some people just don't know when they go too far.

Principal Kelly got back up on his feet, "Since when is Bayville on a fault line?" A joke? Really? That's really professional, Kelly. "Anyway, I wanna welcome you all to a new semester. I know that filling the vacuum left by your previous principal, Miss Darkholme, will not be an easy job, but it's a challenge to which I am looking forward. And that brings me to what I hope will be the theme of the coming semester." This really wasn't interesting at all. He was just going to go on about something inspiring like a good role model and tell us to support our teams and get involved. It's the same thing everywhere. "Meeting new challenges," he spoke slowly. And there it is. "You know, most of us go through life thinking we're not so different from the people around us. That's a mistake, because I'll wager that everyone here has some unique talents. Some special gifts. Some ability that makes us stand out from the crowd." He really has no idea where he's teaching, does he? "However, that said, I want your second priority to be supporting the girls' soccer team for the championship! And that means, I want every one of you to turn out tonight for the big pre-game rally! Can we count on you?" Everyone got up cheering excitedly. Well, I'll say this about Edward Kelly. The man sure is charismatic.

**_A/N...Okay, guys, let me know what you think. Sorry for not updating in a while. Been a bit busy, and I should really be doing my final project of the year, but this is just too much fun. _**

**_ MEleeSmasher: I do intend to bring the whole Team in eventually, but I'm trying to stick to the timeline of both shows as much as I can. So this part of the story is set in 2007, and the Team isn't formed until 2010. I hope you'll keep reading til the very end :)_**

**_Thanks Guest!_**

**_ Kamil the Awesome: So you think Flashy for Roy and Lia, and Reverse Flash for Tro and Lia? I'm just tryin' to make sure I got the names right, haha. And, Season 2 of X-Men Evolution. Sorry for not making that clear ^.^ my bad. _**

**_Thanks for reviewing, everyone, I'm so glad you're enjoying the fic. Let me know if I messed anything up or whatever you might think. _**


	19. Chapter 19

After school, Kitty and I headed for the car, and then the Brotherhood pulled up next to us. "Hey, ladies," Pietro saluted us. Lance got out of the Jeep and walked up to Kitty with a look on his face that bothered me. He was being arrogant.

"You girls wanna hang out?" Lance asked us, "I can drive ya home later."

"Uh, no," Kitty said promptly.

"Angel?" Pietro asked me.

I shrugged, "Maybe later?" He looked a little put off by the rain check, but I don't think now would be a good time to go off with my boyfriend while Kitty's in a rage.

"Is this about the assembly? Look, I'm sorry bout that!" he said kind of casually. I've heard more sincerity in Catcher's threats to kill me. "So how about it?"

Kitty scoffed, "Ugh! Lance, just forget it!"

"Hey, I said I was sorry for the scoreboard thing," he said and crossed his arms. Funny, he didn't sound sorry. "Come on, don't be mad."

"Lance, you can be such a jerk sometimes!" Kitty exclaimed and started to storm off, but Lance grabbed her wrist, making her stop.

"You're crossing a line, Lance," I said warningly.

"Alvers," Scott said, "leave her alone. Kitty phased her wrist through Lance's grasp and massaged it. I narrowed my eyes at him angrily. He must've been holding on tighter than I thought.

"Hey," Lance taunted Scott, "go recharge your batteries, goggle-boy. This is between me and her." The two boys stood face to face with each other.

"Yeah? Well, now it's between you and me," Scott shifted his shades by a centimeter, and I could see the red and white glowing behind them.

Lance shoved Scott and urged him to start a fight, "Go ahead, Summers. Take your best shot. Let's see those eyes blast me through the fence. Right here, right now."

"Shut up, Lance," I snapped and stepped between them. I swear, if Scott does something stupid, I'm going to beat both of them up until they have to be brought home in thermoses. "You can't even fight like a man. Don't even _try_ to bring Scott down to your level."

"Scott," Kitty said urgently, "don't let him bait you. He knows we can't do that stuff out in the open." Scott readjusted his shades. Lance crossed his arms smugly with the rest of his team behind him looking triumphant.

"Come on, Kitty, Lia," Scott said in a low voice and turned away. The boys pointed and laughed at us for being unable to use our powers. Kitty looked back at them and then turned away pointedly. I locked eyes with Pietro and glared at him. He shrugged a half-hearted apology, and I just shook my head in disappointment before following my teammates.

"I'm going to kill him," I threatened darkly while sitting in the back seat with my arms crossed.

"I hear ya," Scott agreed.

"You guys need to calm down," Kitty said reasonably. "Sure Lance can be a jerk, and he's always trying to pick a fight, but murder is not the way to go about this."

I leaned forward and put my arms around their chairs, "Kitty, you're so nice and forgiving. I don't know what I'd do without you." My voice oozed sugar-sweet admiration.

Kitty turned around and rolled her eyes at me, "Don't be a smartass, Lia, I'm just saying that nobody needs you guys charged with murder."

"Shouldn't you be the one pissed right now?" Scott asked her, "You're the one he was messing with anyway."

"I am pissed," Kitty promised us. "But, like, you guys shouldn't let him get to you like that."

"Scott's the one who almost blasted him with his eye cannons," I pointed out.

"And you're the one who looked like she was going to break each of his fingers in front of everyone!" Kitty threw her arms up in exasperation.

"It would've been worth the bad publicity," I stated firmly. "Sometimes, it just isn't fair being the good guys." I remember how there used to be a time in Batman's past when he wasn't the most…merciful of vigilantes. Now that's he's a father figure in our little bat-family, he doesn't want us straying from the 'path of righteousness' or whatever it is he's enforcing. All I know is that I want to protect innocent people. Guys like Lance…they never know when to quit, and that can be dangerous.

"I know," Scott agreed with me. "Why do we always have to be the ones to hold back while they get to do things like that?"

"So that we don't end up sending the whole state of New York into a panic," I said grudgingly.

Kitty scoffed, "You guys are starting to sound like a couple of little kids." Scott pulled up to the Institute, and Kitty and I got out so that he can park the car. "Like, as much as I want Lance to back off, we can't just break the rules."

I sighed, "You're right." We can't stoop to his level. We're better than Lance Alvers. Using our powers out in the open will just cause chaos that nobody needs right now. Conspiracies would pop up and humans would feel outnumbered and afraid. Yeah, not a great situation. "I'm gonna head upstairs, I'll catch you later," I waved to her as I quickly ascended the stairs. When I got into my room, I tossed my bag onto the floor and threw myself onto the bed. I called Dick's cell and hoped that he wasn't out in the field yet.

"Hey, this is Dick, sorry I can't take your message right now…" I ended the call. He was probably out with Batman doing some early runs or something. Even though Roy and I are on better terms now, I didn't want to call him. So, I went with my next best bet and called.

"Lia! Lia! Lia!" the hyperactive ginger spoke into the phone excitedly, "You will never guess what just happened!" Central City's in Missouri, so he's an hour behind me. It must be around three there, and Spisak Junior High gets out at 3 so he must've literally just gotten out of school.

I sighed, "I swear, if you set off another bottle rocket in the teachers' lounge…"

He ignored me and continued, "I set off another bottle rocket in the teachers' lounge!"

"Wally, you do that _every_ _month_," I pointed out. He's so fast that he doesn't even get caught for it. Nobody has any evidence against him.

"They were _pissed_ this time," he said cheerfully. "I think they're gonna be issuing out detentions." For somebody who could be suspended for pulling pranks on the teachers, he seemed pretty excited about the whole thing. "So, what'sup with you? I heard that your new beau came over. How'd that go?" I'll say one thing about Wally West. He's a unique person.

"Just got home from school. Kinda want to punch a hole into something. It went pretty well…until the Joker showed up."

"Ouch. Try not to break anything," Wally advised. Why does everyone tell me that?! "Heard about that, too. He still sticking around?"

"I didn't call to discuss my romantic life," I told him exasperatedly.

"Okay, so why'd you call?" Wally asked curiously.

"I'm kinda pissed, and I just want to talk with someone," I explained. Okay, I know, not very professional of me as Stonewall-Batman's apprentice, but I think it's pretty clear that Bruce and I do have some personality differences.

"Okay, shoot…but, uh, don't actually shoot," Wally said.

"A bunch of mutant punks screw around with their powers all the time, and I _really_ just want to punch one of them in the face sometimes or rearrange his internal organs or something, but I can't! None of us can because we can't use our powers in public like that. It's the most aggravating thing in the world," I ground out.

"No, the most aggravating thing in the world is when you get a bag of chips that's half full," Wally corrected. "Come on, Lia, that's no different than what we have to do." Heroes aren't supposed to blow our cover either.

"At least when there's a jerk getting on your nerves, it only takes you ten seconds to get out of class and scatter his things all over the school building," I said.

Wally snickered, "Come on, you gotta admit that was pretty funny. The guy had it coming anyway."

"At least he's an innocent," I retorted. "Lance Alvers is a mutant delinquent who doesn't know when he's putting people in danger with his fun and games."

"Then do what you always do," Wally stated simply.

"And that is?" I urged curiously.

"Scare him," he said it so blatantly that I wondered if he was joking. "Just do some water works or show him your right hook. Can't be that hard."

I sighed, the logic of a chemistry whiz, "Wally, do you really think that the solution to my aggravation with Lance using his powers is me using my powers?" I could've sworn I explained to him that I can't do that.

"Oh, right. Then I guess you just have to show him who's the better man…uh, woman," he corrected himself. Now I remember why I usually go to Dick with these things. "Aren't you and Dick always working on self-control? Just think of it as training or something," Wally suggested. "If you can ignore Catcher, Catwoman, Dr. Light, and just about any villain with a bad attitude, you can handle this guy." And _that's_ why I go to Wally when Dick's busy.

"Thanks, Wally," I said gratefully for his advice. "So, how've you been?"

"I'm doing pretty great," Wally said cheerfully. "Got away with another bottle rocket, ate through a fourth of the turkey on Thanksgiving, _and_ I think I got a date with one of the cheerleaders."

"Living the good life," I remarked with a laugh.

"Oh, definitely," Wally agreed contentedly. "How's Bayville? We haven't seen you in a while. I'm kinda starting to miss having you around."

"I miss you too, Wally," I said. Even though the X-Men are a pretty fun group of people, nobody here can hold a candle to Wally's good humor. "There's supposed to be a pep rally tonight. It's so hectic around here sometimes with all of these people here. Ugh, I broke the shower," I told him.

He burst out laughing, "What? Seriously?" I told him about the car accident the other day, and I could tell that he was listening intently. When I finished, Wally's voice changed. "You shouldn't have had to think about it," he said seriously.

"I couldn't have _done_ anything," I told him. "I'm not telekinetic, and I don't have super strength."

"When has that ever stopped you?" Wally inquired without a trace of humor in his voice.

I sighed because he was right, "Never."

"I guess your friends took care of it, though, right?" Wally asked.

"Yeah. Nobody was hurt," I stated.

In a split second, it was like he was back to good ol' Wally West, "So, do we have new competition up at your end?"

The other sidekicks and I like to think of initiation into the Justice League as a contest. The best heroes and sidekicks get in, and the more competition there is, the more difficult it will be. "Not anytime soon," I scoffed. Not with the speed we were moving at. "At the rate we're going, the X-Men won't go public for another couple decades."

Then I heard somebody knocking at the door, "Hey, Lia, we're going to head to school soon. Are you coming?" Scott called out from the other side of the door.

"Yeah! Give me a minute," I shouted back. Then I spoke to Wally, "I have to go. I'll talk to you later, Kid."

"Sure, see ya, Lia," Wally laughed at his unintentional rhyme. I hung up the phone and changed into a pair of black jeans, a white shirt, and purple jacket. I placed my utility belt in the lining of my jacket and headed out. Scott was going to drive me, Kitty, Rogue, Kurt, Evan, and Professor X.

"This is gonna be so lame," Rogue said while we climbed up the bleachers to get some good seats while everything started.

"Looks like everyone else is having fun," I joked. The other students were really having a good time, though. Everyone was shouting and cheering our girls on, and the cheerleaders were doing their routines on the field. The announcer started to talk, but I wasn't paying much attention to him.

"You lookin' for Pietro?" Rogue asked me knowingly.

I smiled guiltily, "Yeah. He didn't tell me anything after school, but I'm sure that he's loitering around here somewhere." I looked over at the Professor and Evan when they got here and then back at the field.

When the commentator introduced Jean as the star forward, Kurt shouted, "Yeah! Jean!" Scott and Kitty stood up at the railing with the rest of us The crowd started to chant the name of our school. This was a pretty big thing since a local news crew decided to come out and film all of this. Principal Kelly made his way to the middle of the field with a microphone.

"In appreciation of the team spirit that has brought us all the way to tonight's championship game, we'd like to present our school mascot, the Bayville hawk!" Everyone turned around to face the scoreboard where a brand new gold sculpture of our team mascot perched with its wings spread out.

"Oh, and look, it's on fire," Rogue said sarcastically. Yup, the back of the statue ignited in flames. I wonder how much this took out of the school's budget. Then fireworks exploded overhead. Mr. Kelly sure is going all out with this. "Now, let the game begin!"

"The game is underway and the Bayville…hey! Give that…" the announcer's voice commanded on the speakers. I instantly went on alert. Something's wrong.

"S'cuse me, folks," a familiar voice said on the speakers. A voice that should _not_ have that microphone. "Hey, can I have your attention up here?" I turned around and saw Avalanche standing on top of the announcer's box in his full uniform.

"Holy shit," I said in disbelief.

"What in the hell is he doing?" Rogue demanded.

"Lance?" Kitty said in shock.

"What's he up to?" Scott rose to his feet, just as much on the defensive as I am. Blob, Toad, _and _Quicksilver joined him in the spotlight.

"That's better," Lance said. "My name's Lance, I also call myself Avalanche, because I'm a Mutant." That's it. He's gone balls to the walls crazy. "That's right, me and Toad and Blob and Quicksilver here, we're all Mutants. Born different, what you might call freaks."

"I-I can't believe he's doing this!" Kitty stammered.

"I can't believe how stupid he is," I clenched my fist.

"You see," Lance continued, "there's lots of Mutants at Bayville High. Scott Summers over there, he's one. So is Jean Grey, your big soccer star, and most of their pals over at the Xavier Institute which is kinda a school for weirdo Mutant nerds."

"Man, we're busted big time," Rogue commented dryly. This is it. Bruce is going to freak with this. This won't be good for business at all. When I get my hands on Lance, I'm going to tear him apart. And Pietro. God, I can't believe he's just standing there. He wasn't even defending me. What the hell have they been smoking?!

"Can I kill him now?" I asked Kitty angrily.

"Now, being Mutants means we got these special powers we can use to make little improvements. For instance, we thought this game would be more fun if we were a little further apart." The ground stated shaking under us. People screamed in fear as the field was divided by a growing crack in the earth. Two of the girls on the field didn't make it out of the way in time. Jean helped to pull Taryn back up, and the other girl got help from the players on field. "And we figured Principal ought to have a little more better perspective on his student body." A familiar flash of turquoise brought the principal off the ground. Scott got up on his feet.

"Sorry, Professor X, cat's outta the bag," Scott and the rest of us picked up our bags with our uniforms in them and headed down to change.

"Another thing, we think that mascot totally reeks," I heard Lance say while I changed in the girls' bathroom with Kitty and Rogue as quickly as I could. When all three of us were dressed, we ran out and met up with the boys. Blob stood at the top of the bleachers carrying the huge flaming hawk over his head. Scott blasted the statue out of his hands.

"Alright, Lance," Scott said, "you want it all out in the open, let's put it out there!" Avalanche jumped down from the box and started to fight it out with Cyclops. Spyke and Shadowcat took care of the cameras, and Jean threw Pietro into Blob. I made sure that Principal Kelly landed safely on the ground. Jean ran over to make sure he was okay, but he pushed her off and ran away. Blob broke the bleachers and civilians panicked.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I yelled at Pietro after he recovered from bouncing off of Blob.

"What?" he exclaimed in disbelief, "Don't act so high and mighty, Angel! You hated being in the shadows just as much as we did! You _wanted_ this out in the open!"

I shook my head and looked at him disappointedly, "Not like this. Look around, Quicksilver, people are afraid. They're in _danger._ I don't want this."

"Flood!" Shadowcat called out and pointed at a collapsed bleacher where several people were trapped. I looked at Pietro sadly and then ran to help the students in the rubble. I managed to help all of them get out, and I checked most of them to makes sure that they weren't suffering from any major injuries. I found a few people with some nasty cuts and fixed them up as best I could before they came to and scrambled away from me.

Suddenly, a downpour of rain put out the fire from the hawk that had just fell from the roof and almost crushed Avalanche under it. It would have fallen on Kitty if he hadn't pushed her out of the way. It would've been sweet…if he hadn't freakin' started this whole thing in the first place! Quicksilver and Blob stood in the rain looking defeated, Shadowcat assisted Avalanche, Nightcrawler carried an unconscious Toad over his shoulder, and Cyclops stood with his arm around Jean all while the other students turned their backs to us. Storm landed next to Professor X, and I didn't have to hear the conversation to know what was going on. We gathered around Professor X while he wiped the memories of all the humans on the field.

"You okay?" Rogue asked me, noticing that I watched Pietro and the Brotherhood.

I shrugged, "I'll be fine. We have more important things to…Professor!" The professor passed out in his wheel chair. I guess even for him, this was an overload.

"Come on, we have to get him back to the Institute," Ms. Monroe ordered us. We made it back to the Institute and brought the professor into our clinic. Everyone went to change into their civvies while Logan watched over the professor.

After I changed, I looked down at my phone and wondered if I should call Pietro. This wasn't going to work, I should've seen that a long time ago. I should've realized that on Asteroid M. I used to think that Pietro and I were the same. Maybe I was just holding on to the hope that the boy I used to know was still in there somewhere. That isn't the case anymore. We're too different. He doesn't care about who he hurts, and I can't do nothing while other people are in danger.

This is why it's a bad idea to date people on the opposite side. This is why heroes and villains shouldn't start relationships. It gets messy. Your emotions cloud your judgment. It just…doesn't work out. No matter how much you want it to.

When Professor Xavier woke up a few hours later, he tried to sit up while holding his head. "Easy, Charles," Logan advised, "take it slow. You threw your brain into overload." I came back down after I decided that it was best to put off talking to Pietro. Scott wanted to check on the professor, too.

"But it worked!" Ms. Monroe informed him. "Eye witnesses believe that the hawk's exploding fireworks caused all the damage."

"What about the broadcast?" The professor asked with great concern, "How much got out?"

"None," Logan stated. "Seems there was some kind of weird magnetic interference that knocked the station off the air seconds before." Wait, _before_? That means that he knew about the whole thing before this happened.

"Magnetic?" Professor X said in surprise. "Hmm, could it be that he's still alive?"

"Magneto? Wouldn't doubt it," Logan replied.

"Anyway," Scott broke the tension, "I guess we're back under wraps where we should be. I'm real sorry, Professor. It's like you said, the world really isn't ready to learn about us."

"I'm afraid not, Scott," Professor X said tiredly. "Hopefully, Lance and the others will come to realize that as well. My only concern is Principal Kelly, I was inside his mind when I blacked out, and I'm not sure I finished the job."

"Don't worry yourself about it too much," Logan advised.

"You're right, but it doesn't hurt to be cautious," the professor replied. I stood at the foot of the professor's hospital bed until everyone else left to go to sleep. I didn't even realize that we had been dismissed. "Thalia, you look troubled, what are you thinking about?"

"Huh?" I looked up and saw the professor watching me with a curious and concerned expression on his face. "Oh, it's nothing, Professor. I was just…"

"Concerned about how far the Brotherhood is going to take their fun?" Professor X asked me with and eyebrow arched questioningly.

I nodded and didn't even bother asking why he knew that, "They aren't bad people. Not really, but if they keep doing what they're doing, someone's seriously going to get hurt."

"You wouldn't happen to be talking about Pietro, would you?"

I sighed, "I'm talking about all of them. I don't think they realize how serious this is."

"No, they don't," he agreed, "but remember, Thalia, most of them have just discovered what they are, and they are still discovering _who_ they are. Let me ask you, do _you_ know how you feel about being in the shadows?"

"I don't mind it most of the time, but when innocent people are put in danger, and we can't do anything to help…it makes me angry. I hate being on the sidelines knowing that I can do more but not doing anything because I'm afraid of being discovered," I told him honestly. I know that it's best to keep Mutant kind a secret, but it's just annoying.

"Be honest with me, Thalia," the professor said, "does a part of you agree with what the Brotherhood did tonight?"

"I…" I thought about it. If people weren't in danger, would I have been okay with what they did? Would I care if we were out in the open? "No," I said firmly, "what they did put everyone in danger. I can't be associated with this for my cousin's sake as well as my own." And that's that. I'm going to do my job as Blackstar. I swore that I would protect the innocent and be an instrument from justice. If they ever go overboard like that again, I won't hesitate with taking them down. "I should go to sleep. Goodnight, Professor."

**_A/N...Man, I am on a roll! I wonder what's going to happen with Pietro and Lia now. Thanks for reading. _**


	20. Chapter 20

A few days later, we had an assembly to celebrate the girls' victory at the championship in the auditorium. "Yes, our girls had a winning soccer season," Principal Kelly said on stage. "They fought like a team, they played like a team, and they respected each other as teammates. And it's those teammates who unanimously voted their choice for this year's Most Valuable Player award, Jean Grey!" Jean made her way up to the stage while the audience applauded her. The other X-Men and I applauded our housemate as she took the award.

I didn't see Pietro in the auditorium, and I didn't talk to him during class. We've barely spoken since the game. I don't know if we were avoiding each other, or if we were avoiding the conversation we knew was bound to happen sooner or later. "Uh, thank you, Principal Kelly," Jean said into the microphone, "and, uh, I want to thank all of you." She froze and her eyes widened, "Uh, sorry, I want to, uh… I, uh, I…" She grabbed her head and stepped into the awards table. Her award flew into the air and the others spilled onto the floor. The auditorium went silent. "Uh, sorry," she picked up the decapitated trophy, "lost my head there for a sec. As I was saying, I'd like to thank all my teammates, uh, our coach, and everyone who showed up supported us."

"That was a close one," I said to Kurt as we walked out of the auditorium to the next class.

"Yeah," Kurt agreed, "it was weird. She was probably just nervous."

I shrugged, "I guess, but it's _Jean_. She doesn't get nervous."

"Hey, Angel, can we talk?" Pietro stood in front of me and Kurt with his hand in his hair.

"I'll catch up with you later," I said to Kurt and joined Pietro. We walked in awkward silence for a while. Neither one of us knew what to say to the other.

"I can't take this!" Pietro exploded impatiently, "What's going on? Why are you avoiding me, Angel?"

I scoffed, "You know exactly why."

He crossed his arms and looked down at me seriously, "No, I don't, and I don't like that you won't tell me what's bothering you."

I gaped at him in disbelief, "You guys trashed the soccer field and one of the school buildings. Do you really think that's okay?"

"Is that all?" Pietro threw his hands up, "I thought it was something serious!"

"Are you f****** kidding me?! That _was_ serious! You tried to expose Mutants to everyone at that game,_ and_ bleachers collapsed on twelve people!" I exclaimed. "Excuse me for being a _little_ upset."

Pietro sighed, "I don't want to fight with you, Lia."

I shook my head, "Me neither, but…we both have to be honest here, Tro." Okay, this is it. This is when I tell him that it won't work out between us. This is when we break up and pretend the whole thing didn't happen. We can just go back to being on different sides of this fight and leave it at that.

"Yeah," he agreed. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. Lance was pissed about Summers, and I didn't think that anyone would get hurt. Angel, please don't be mad. I know that you're probably thinking about dumping my sorry ass right now, aren't you?"

"Can you blame me?" I countered.

He shrugged, "Not really, but come on, Lia, do you really want that? We already said that we wouldn't let business get in the middle of our relationship."

"Pietro, we have to think things through," I told him. "This is too complicated. The Brotherhood and the X-Men are taking two very different approaches to the same goal. You guys are interfering with a very delicate balance right now, and I don't think that I can be in this in-between."

"What about Kitty?" Pietro insisted, "She and Lance are hanging out more than ever now. Lia, I really, _really_ don't want to break up with you. We can get through this."

"Yeah? And what about the next time you and the others do something stupid?" I demanded, "What then?"

"Then we'll get through that too," he said almost forcefully. "Lia, please," he spoke quietly. He was just waiting for me to tell him to get lost. I could tell.

I sighed and relented, "Okay. Maybe we can work this out." Right, how hard can it be to ignore the fact that your boyfriend's on his way to becoming a grade A criminal.

His arms were around me before I could even react. When he pulled away, he was grinning, "Okay, now that that's over with, let's get to class." It wasn't really sorted out in my opinion. He's right, though. I really _don't_ want to break up with him.

#*#*#*

After school, Pietro and I met up with Kitty and Lance at the front steps. "Ugh, what died?" I asked when the two of them walked up.

"Really…that's gross," Pietro said simply.

"Stink bomb in chemistry class," Kitty stated. "The new teacher's so cool!"

"Mr. McCoy?" I asked. I heard about him from some girls in my art class. "I had him for gym. He's so laid back." I dug through my purse for a small bottle of perfume and attacked Lance and Kitty with it.

"Hey! Lia, stop it!" Kitty protested.

"Cut it out! What is that?" Lance exclaimed.

I capped the bottle and put it back into my bag, "Sorry, guys, but you smell disgusting."

"Well, now they smell disgusting with a hint of lavender," Pietro snickered. Lance flipped him off.

"Okay, guys," I rolled my eyes, "Kitty and I have to get home. I'll see you later." I kissed Pietro and noticed Lance make a gagging motion to Kitty. I flicked my wrist and splashed him with my ever-present water bottle.

"Well, that was cute," Kitty remarked when we jumped into the back of Scott's car.

"How about you and Lance?" I smirked knowingly, "The two of you've been spending a lot of time together lately."

"So?" her face turned pink, and I giggled.

"Oh, shit," Scott muttered under his breath when the car screeched to a halt at the stoplight.

"Whoa, hey," Kitty yelped.

"What's the rush, Scott?" I asked when he took off speeding as soon as it turned green.

"Duncan's having a party tonight," Scott explained like that was a logical answer.

"Well, it's not going anywhere!" I yelled at him when he made a sharp turn.

"Scott, slow down!" Kitty shouted in fear as the car almost crashed into the gates of the Institute. As soon as the gates opened, he slammed on the gas again. He parked the car in front of the doors behind a motorcycle that most definitely doesn't belong to Logan.

"Whoa, whose bike is that?" Scott asked before checking his watch and running into the building. I followed after him quickly.

"Wait, Lia, what's going on?" Kitty called after me. I ignored her and ran into the foyer. Professor Xavier was rolling across the floor in his wheelchair accompanied by a tall red haired young man wearing a black and red sports jacket and dark jeans.

"Ah, Thalia, you have a visitor," the professor informed me.

"Roy?" I gaped in disbelief.

"_Who_ is _that_?" Kitty whispered to me while looking my friend up and down.

"A friend from Star City," I informed her. "Uh, what are you doing here?" I asked him. He has school, and he has a city to patrol. I can't believe Ollie's letting him skip.

"I was in town," he lied. He so plainly lied that it wasn't funny.

"Well, I'll let the two of you catch up," Professor Xavier said and left the three of us teenagers alone.

"So…who are you?" Kitty asked him curiously.

"Roy Harper, nice to meet you," he said to her.

"Kitty Pryde, uh, you too," she looked at me and the gaze seemed to say 'he's cute.' I shook my head subtly at her. "I have to get this stink bomb off me, so I'll see you later, Lia." She ran upstairs, and then it was Roy and me.

"Come on," I said briskly and led him to the courtyard that was conveniently empty today. I turned to face him and crossed my arms, "What are you doing here?"

"Ollie's in New York," Roy stated, "he brought me along, but it turns out that he doesn't need me, so I thought I'd pay you a visit."

"First Gotham, and now Bayville," I said amusedly. "Aren't you ever in your own city?"

He laughed, "So what is there to do around here?"

"Nothing really," I said with a shrug, "we usually just train at the Institute and go to school."

"Well, if you're not busy, we can go do some work," Roy suggested. I smirked, he knew that I'm not supposed to suit up until I'm done here at the Institute…

"Give me five minutes," I grinned and raced into the house. I passed Scott on my way up to my room, he was falling on his ass down the stairs. "Smooth, Scott," I called to him.

"Shut up, Lia!" he retorted and ran out the door. I went to my room and changed into my uniform. I pulled a T-shirt and jeans over my uniform and shoved my belt into a backpack along with my mask.

I joined Roy next to his motorcycle and looked up at him pleadingly, "Can I drive her? Please?"

Roy smirked, "You don't know where we're going."

"I don't care," I stated and held my hands out for the keys. "I haven't been able to drive _anything_ around here."

Roy sighed, "I told you to apply for a permit."

"I have a permit, but nobody here's gonna let me drive the Gotham way," I reminded him. "I miss my bike. Please?" The last time I rode the Starcycle was when I visited Gotham for fall break. I haven't driven anything since then, and Scott would never let me drive his baby.

"On the way back," he finally allowed and swung his leg over the motorcycle. I sat behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist. Then he took off. Roy drove out of Bayville and into New York. He parked the bike behind a supermarket and threw his backpack strap over his shoulder. "Meet me on the roof," he instructed before walking towards a nearby gas station. I rolled my eyes and looked around for any cameras. Since there weren't any, I went behind a dumpster and took off my civies.

Wearing the uniform under the civies is convenient. I mean, I can see why Clark does it, but it's not for me. Way too uncomfortable. I put on my gloves, applied some adhesive on my mask so that it would stay on, and put it on. I fastened my utility belt, and shoved my clothes in a bag I had compacted in my belt. I dumped my civies on Roy's bike and shot a batrope up to the roof. I scaled the wall and jumped onto the roof. I got there before Roy, and when I heard the soft steps of his approach, I couldn't help myself. I slipped a stariken into my palm, pivoted, and threw it at the archer.

Fortunately, Speedy's just as good as I am. Within seconds, he deflected the surprise attack with his bow. "Nice try," Speedy said in his usual deadpan.

I rolled my eyes under my mask, "Okay, Speedy. Hey, I'll race you." Then I started running. Let me tell you, running on an open roof is the best feeling. Speedy caught up in no time.

"Where are we going?" he asked me after we landed on another roof.

"Anywhere," I answered gleefully. I flipped over a vent and laughed freely. "You would not believe how stressed I've been the last few days."

"The boyfriend?" Speedy asked curiously.

I sighed, "He's a part of it. Hey, look down there." I pointed out what looked like a robbery in progress at a jewelry store. Two guys came out of the building and walked to a blue van. Another guy came around the van and opened the back.

"Let's go," Speedy said and he shot a zip-line arrow across the street. He used his arrow to slide down the cable. I sighed and took out my mini zip-line from the utility belt and assembled it quickly before following the other apprentice.

"Good job guys, let's get out of here," one of the thieves said to his buddies.

"Or you can be good boys and give yourselves up now," I said patronizingly.

"Star, don't patronize the criminals," Speedy sighed.

"Hey…dudes, that's the Bat's kid ain't she?" one of the thugs asked.

"And she's with Speedy! C'mon!" the guys stumbled while they tried to run into the car. They managed to get into the car and drive. Speedy and I had the same idea. I threw a stariken at the same time Speedy fired a sharp arrow. My five-point star pierced the right tire, and Speedy's arrow hit the left tire. The car swerved and hit a fire hydrant, oh how convenient.

I jumped onto the car's roof and looked down over the windshield, "I'm not Batman's _kid_." They practically climbed over each other to get out of the car. I dropped from the roof and tackled one of them to the cement.

"Ain't you ever in your own city?" the thief demanded as I tied him up with one of my cables. I have complete faith that Speedy was dealing with the other two without any problems. I threw a stariken to the ground at his feet that released knock out gas.

"Done," I informed him.

"Done," he responded. "I already let the local police know. Come on." We left the crooks there and continued to jump across the skyline. It was already getting dark, and we were hanging out on the roof of an apartment building eating sandwiches from a mini mart. We stopped two robberies and an attempted kidnapping. I'd call it a pretty successful night.

"That Professor guy's pretty cool," Speedy remarked.

I smiled, "He's a good teacher, but sometimes…I don't know." I sighed. Professor X does have some respectable ideals, but I don't know if I can follow through. Ever since I joined up with Batman, I've learned to put the mission first. The mission and the civilians. Professor Xavier wants us as Mutants to protect our secret at all cost. _All_ costs. No matter what happens, we can't risk being discovered.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

I thought about it and told him about the car accident on the way back from the soccer game. He listened. "It really sucks when every _fiber_ in your body is screaming at you to do something, but you just…can't," I said in frustration.

"That's stupid," he said bluntly.

I scoffed, "Yeah, I know." Then I sighed and threw a piece of bread up in the air, catching it in my mouth. "Lately, I've felt as if I can't do _anything _right. I've dedicated the last two years of my life to being the best hero I can be, but maybe I'm not cut out for this."

"That's bull," Speedy stated. "You're having a bad day or two, big deal. Just get over it. You've been in worse situations." Well, that's true. I've been helpless before. There are times when I'm out in the field and I want to do something, but I can't because I'm tied up, or I can't get there in time, or Batman gave me an order not to act. This time, though, I was there, fully able, but I didn't do anything.

"But those kids never have been," I retorted bitingly. I read the article on the accident. There were twenty-four kids in that bus. I could have saved them, or maybe I couldn't have, but at least I would have tried.

Speedy sighed and got up, he held his hand out to me. I looked at him questioningly, grateful for the mask, and he said, "Come on, get up."

"Uh, why?" I asked suspiciously.

"You're being stupid," he stated.

"I know."

"What am I supposed to do about it?" he asked.

I shrugged, "I don't know."

"You know," he started, "I always knew you wouldn't be able to handle being a hero."

I looked at him in disbelief, "Excuse me?"

"Yeah," he continued with this aggravating smirk on his face. "Really, Robin's four years younger than you, and he's ten times better than you at everything."

"You're not helping," I snapped.

"Why'd Batman even take you on as an apprentice?" Roy asked disapprovingly.

I got to me feet angrily, "What's your problem? You're being a jerk."

"What're you going to do about it?" he countered. I swung my fist at his face, and he caught it in his palm. "That all you got, Blackstar?"

"Not even close, archer," I brought my knee up to his side. That got him to release my fist, and I retaliated with a punch from my other hand to his jaw. Speedy took a couple steps back and massaged his jaw.

Then he charged at me, and I backed away to avoid his punches. Sometimes, this guy can really be an asshole. He should know how aggravated I am with this situation. He'd be feeling the same if he was there standing in that crowd watching while there were children in danger knowing that he could do something, but wondering if it's the right thing to do. Speedy and I both tried to throw a right hook at each other, and we both grabbed the other's fist in our free hand.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I asked him angrily. He overpowered me and got me in a chokehold.

"I should be the one asking you that, Star," he said in a low voice that sent angry shivers down my spine. "Get yourself together, Lia. It's not like you to be freaking out over something like this. Don't freak out because you hesitated. It's not a big deal. It happens to all of us."

I flipped him over my shoulder and pinned him down, "Yeah, well, it shouldn't happen. You know what the worst part is, Roy? I thought that I wouldn't be able to do anything. I actually thought to myself, _It won't work_."

"Lia, that's enough," Speedy said sternly. Once his words registered in my mind, I got off him and sat on the roof with my knees pulled up to my chin. I felt him standing behind me and shrank into myself more. "It's okay," he said gently, putting his hands on my shoulders comfortingly. "Okay, come on," he said in his bossy, commando voice.

"Huh?" I asked confusedly.

He held his hand out to me without looking at me, "We should get going, come on." I took his hand and let him pull me to my feet. We went back to the bike, and I put my arms around his waist tightly.

"Hey, I thought you said I could drive," I reminded him.

"We're not done yet," he replied with the same stern expression he usually wore. I had no idea where Speedy was taking me, but I don't care. This was the most success I've had since fall break. I was actually enjoying myself, and I wasn't even worrying about the X-Men or Pietro or the mistakes I've made in the field.

Speedy drove us on the highway for miles. We actually left New York, and we ended up in Metropolis. He pulled into an empty parking lot. I looked around after getting off the bike, "Batting cages?"

"We should really work on your hand-eye coordination," Speedy said. He took out his bow and stood in front of the machine, holding the bow like a bat.

"How do we even work these things?" I asked him.

He shrugged, "I rewired them this morning. Remote activated." I stood in front of the other machine and took out my retractable Bo staff. "Ready?"

"Yeah," I said and tightened my grip on my staff. Then the machine fired baseballs faster than a normal machine. I kept up with every one of them, though, "God, Red, did you have to make this so difficult?" I asked as I swung and hit another baseball.

"It's more fun this way," Roy remarked. He was absolutely right. The more I swung and hit, the less stressed I felt. Maybe this isn't the best way to relieve anger, confusion, and frustration, but it works. I felt my phone vibrate and chose to ignore it. This is the best time I've had in a long time. Even though we were just stopping crimes, sparring, and hitting baseballs, I was enjoying myself. In the few hours I have spent with Roy, I haven't worried about falling cars, or Mutants causing earthquakes, or a boyfriend who hasn't been making the best decisions lately. Now it was just Blackstar and Speedy hanging out and talking. I've needed this. After something like twenty more baseballs were struck, my phone started to ring. I ignored it, but it kept on ringing. "Shouldn't you answer that?" Speedy asked.

"It can wait," I told him, but I guess it couldn't wait since my phone never stopped ringing. Speedy turned off the machine, and I checked the caller ID. I had assumed that Pietro would be the one bugging me, but it wasn't him. It was Kitty. "Hey, Kitty, what's up?" I asked.

"Like, you'll never believe what just happened," Kitty said in a rush. "Jean's powers went completely _haywire_, like, the entire infirmary and hallway are totally trashed."

"What?" I demanded, "Is everyone okay? Do you need me over there?" Damn, a telekinetic going out of control? That's dangerous. You never know what or _who_ could go flying. The fact that the one girl alone could wreck a whole hall much less the infirmary is impressive, and not in a good way.

"Yeah, we're all fine," Kitty said, and I let out a breath of relief. "But Rogue's a bit shook up. She had to do her thing on Jean, and I think something's really bothering her."

"Okay," I said, "I'll be back as soon as possible." So much for my day of stress relief.

"Kay," she replied, "I'll let the Professor know. Bye."

"See you in a bit," I said and hung up the phone. I sighed and turned to Speedy, "Well, I guess we should get going."

He nodded and tossed me the keys, "Yeah. Let's go." We went to our respective bathrooms and changed into civies. I took my mask off, and once again, I was Thalia Wayne. But, for some reason, knowing this didn't feel like a burden. Yeah, sure I'm some freaky Mutant with some kind of weird secret triple life. I'm still just _one _person. I can't do everything, but I can do what I can do whether it's distributing clothing designs to the top manufacturers, lowering the crime rate in Gotham, or stopping a rampaging Mutant freak from wrecking my home. That's just my life, and it helps knowing that I have people like Scott, Kurt, Kitty, Dick, Bruce, and Roy to watch my back and do what I can't do.

This time, Roy let me drive, and he wrapped his arms around my waist when we took off.

#*#*#*

I handed him my helmet when we got to the Institute. "Thanks for that," I said to him a bit embarrassedly. I didn't think that I'd need Roy Harper to help get me out of this little rut. I guess I kind of forgot that I could rely on him for things like this.

"You're welcome," he said gruffly like it was no big deal.

I know that I should have just left it there. Gratitude and go, but something compelled me to keep talking. "How long are you staying on this side of the country?" I asked him.

"A few days at most," Roy shrugged.

"Well, there's a carnival coming up soon," I informed him, "you're welcome to zeta over if you want."

Roy flashed me one of his rare smiles and said, "Just tell me when. I'll see you around, Lia."

"You too, red," I said with a small smile, "take care of yourself."

He put his helmet on and saluted me briefly before taking off. I didn't stay to watch him go. Instead, I headed up to Rogue and Kitty's room. I can't believe that I missed Jean Gray go ballistic. Of all the things I could have missed out on.

When I got up to the girls' room, I saw that Scott beat me to consoling my friend. I lingered by the door and listened to them talking. "You risked so much to save her, Rogue," Scott said, "what made you do it?"

"It was nothin'," Rogue said, and she sounded a little bit sad to me.

"Yes, it was," Scott insisted. "Tell me," he requested gently.

"Me and Ms. Popularity there, we're worlds apart," Rogue said, "galaxies. But then I realized somethin'."

"What?" Scott prompted.

"That she'd do the same thing for me," Rogue stated.

"Believe it, Rogue, we all would," Scott assured her. The he got up and walked out. The two of us passed each other as he left the room and I entered. I mouthed the words 'thank you' to him, and he subtly nodded his head in response.

My friend was siting next to her window when I first saw her, and she hasn't moved throughout her conversation with Scott. I smiled at her as a greeting, "Hey."

"Hi," she responded.

"Kitty told me what happened," I told her.

"I'm not surprised," Rogue remarked, but her annoyance seemed forced.

"Are you okay?" I asked with sincere concern for my friend. "I know it must have been a lot for you."

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said it, but I really doubt that she was just fine.

I voiced my opinion firmly, "You're lying."

"Maybe a little," she admitted. "One second, he's talkin' to me like I'm all that matters, and the next, he's rushin' over to Jean's side. Guess I shoulda seen that one comin'."

I shrugged, "Don't blame yourself. Scott's a guy, he's completely out of it with these kinds of things. But what you did for Jean, that's something to be admired."

"Y'all would've done the same for me," Rogue said, repeating what Scott told her.

"True," I agreed, "but the difference is that we like you a hell of a lot more than you like Jean." That got a genuine smile out of her. I think that between me and Scott, we managed to cheer her up a bit, so one Mutant down, one to go. "I'll see you later, Rogue," I said, "I have to go talk to Professor X."

"Later, Lia," she called after me.

I found Professor Xavier in his study, no surprise there. He seemed to be deeply troubled at the moment, and I'm assuming that it has to do with Jean Gray going all kinds of haywire today. "Come in, come in, Lia. No need to be hovering by the door," Professor X allowed me into the study.

I closed the door behind me as I walked up to his desk, "So she finally lost it, huh?" I've known for a while that Jean Gray would eventually lose control of her powers, but I never thought that it would be on this grand of a scale.

Professor X sighed tiredly, "Yes, she did. It was to be expected. Jean showed potential when I first met her, but with the control she has displayed…" he trailed off thoughtfully.

"What're we going to do with her now?" I questioned.

"I will continue to teach her to control her powers in order to prevent an incident like this from occurring again."

"How much damage did she do?" I inquired.

"A substantial amount to the building," the professor informed me. "As for her and Rogue, I think that they shall be able to move past this incident with the right guidance."

"I expect that you mean from you," I assumed. "I'm sure that we're on the same page here, Professor. Jean Gray is just as much a liability to us now as she as an advantage."

"As are most of the other Mutants on the X-Men," Professor Xavier reminded me. "That is why we are here, Thalia. You and the other students are here to assist each others as you evolve and grow."

Then everything started to fit together like pieces of a puzzle. Ever since I've been committed to this Institute, I've wondered why I have to be here. Bruce knows that I can take care of myself. He never would've had me transfer to Bayville, New York just because my mother requested it, and I know that Mom wouldn't have gone directly to Bruce with the idea of sending me away for help. There had to be a middleman.

My parents knew that I was a Mutant, and they wouldn't have just gone to Professor X and asked him to handle me for him. I mean, they _could_ have, but they probably _wouldn't_ have. Knowing them, they'd want to conduct their own experiments. "I'm not here to be just any other student, am I, Professor?" I asked him quietly.

The Professor sighed, "No, Thalia, you're not."

"I'm here to look out for them, aren't I?" I continued in a level tone.

"That's correct," he confirmed. I nodded to myself thoughtfully as he continued, "Thalia, I have worked with your parents for years, and unlike the other students, I'm absolutely positive that you are fully aware of the risks we as Mutants take as well as the threats pose to ourselves and those surrounding us. I had hoped that you would be a positive influence on the other students when I recruited you, Thalia." I braced myself for the rest to follow. I know that I've failed the Professor without intending to. I've used my powers recklessly, I'm dating one of the Brotherhood, and I haven't been much of a role model in general. He didn't say that, though. What he did say was, "I placed complete faith in you, and you haven't disappointed me."

"Excuse me, Professor?" I asked confusedly.

"Thalia, you do not have to feel responsible for everything that happens here," Professor Xavier told me. "Yes, I do put great faith in you as a leader, but I know that you are also still a child. You are allowed to make mistakes. Unlike Scott, you show great intuitiveness when it comes to handling delicate situations. You seem to see them in a greater light than Scott."

I smiled to myself a little bit, "Scott doesn't realize how big of a deal this is yet. I'm sure that he understands enough, but he isn't ready to handle the grand scheme of everything yet. He's still a high school boy whose focus is getting the girl and fighting the jock."

"You see yourself differently?" If the question came from anyone else, I probably would have been offended, but I could see that Professor X actually wanted to know. I guess I can't just tell him about my years as a vigilante protégé, but I do have to tell him something. I feel…obligated to.

"I do," I confirmed. "As much as I act like everything's okay, I know that it really isn't. What we're doing is dangerous. I don't think all of the others realize it yet, but we're putting a lot on the line. It's possible that they're still in a state of denial, or at least partially. They've obviously accepted that what's happening to all of us is real, but most of them are handling it like a bunch of teenagers would."

I know.

I know that my friends at the Institute are smart, and most of them are more mature than they let on, but just like Professor Xavier said, they're just kids. They'll treat their lives the same way, and this is just like another class to most of them. Something they need to know to get on with the rest of their lives. Some of them have probably realized it by now.

No matter how hard we try to control our powers. No matter how hard we try to hide what we are. No matter how hard we try to fit into human society. We are Mutants, and we always will be.

And, you know what? There's nothing wrong with that.

**_A/N... I am so sorry for the late and inconsistent updates! I had a hard time trying to get Roy and Lia's relationship just right. I don't want too much of a "just friends" feeling to come from them, but I also don't want them to be too "more than friends". On another note, Professor X had ulterior motives when he recruited Lia, did anyone see that coming?_**

**_Thank you to everyone who reviewed! You guys are awesome. Keep letting me know what you think, and I hope you enjoyed the tiniest bit of interaction between the "Team" (even though Speedy isn't on the Team (also the Team still hasn't been created yet)). _**


	21. Chapter 21

I guess after the new recruits moved in, the rest of the Institute caught on to my habit of getting up early. We started doing more exercises and training for worst-case scenarios. The Institute really is starting to feel like a school now. We were doing a rescue workshop at the cliff right where the ground dropped to sea level. Nightcrawler got cast as the victim and laid unconscious on a ledge while Scott repelled down the steep cliff as the rescuer. This time, it was Boom Boom's turn to retrieve the target. While Scott and Kurt hung out down there, the rest of us were busy up here.

Tabitha's certainly spunkier than the rest of the Mutants here. She's careless, and she has an attitude. I can't say I enjoy her company too much. The girl has short blond hair, and she can match Rogue for the record of most makeup on one person. The only difference is that it works on Rogue.

"Okay, guys, we need to let it down carefully," I instructed the guys so that the basket wouldn't be bouncing all over the place. The boys carried the basket over to the edge of the cliff carefully. I left them and went to check on the girls by the cable. "Same thing as before," I told them, "we don't want the cable to catch and lock, so make sure the reel doesn't start flying."

"Got it," Amara answered. Everything looked in order, and then I see Boom Boom. The girl's sitting off to the side with her earphones on, jamming to music I could hear from a few yards away.

"Okay, Tabitha, you have to ease down, gently," I tried to advise her as she strut by.

"Oh don't be such a fuddy duddy," she rolled her eyes and got on the basket. I gave Wolverine the okay, and he passed it along to the others. They did everything I told them to do, except for Boom Boom. "Yeaah!" she shouted out, "Look out below! Boom Boom's bombin' in! Wooo hoo!" I watched while she shifted her weight to throw the basket around.

"We have life insurance, right?" I asked Wolverine.

"Yeah," he said gruffly, "but that's why you're here." Right. I'm supposed to make sure that nobody here falls to a watery grave while Nightcrawler played victim. The two of us would switch off so that sometimes I would play victim. Let me tell you, I'm damn happy that I didn't get stuck with Boom Boom.

"Fire in the hole!" Boom Boom cried out. Her announcement was followed by the familiar sound of an explosion. I watched while she rolled Nightcrawler onto the basket…_with her foot_. That just isn't right! "Yo, Badger, tug us up!"

"It's Wolverine," Logan sounded as annoyed as I felt. He gave me the okay, and I passed it on to the other students. Manning the cable's a tough job, especially with a reel this size and so many inexperienced people. I needed as many hands on this thing as possible. Suddenly, I heard another explosion, and I could see the cable quivering from some unseen motion over the cliff. "Hey! Knock it off!" Wolverine ordered angrily. Then, there was another explosion.

I turned to the students manning the reel. "Don't do anything." I walked over to the ledge just in time to see Kurt _fall_ from the basket and plummet down. Scott acted immediately and blasted the jagged rocks protruding from the top of the water. In an instant, I changed the water's form into that of a shock absorber, and changed it back into a liquid as soon as Wolverine jumped off the ledge to retrieve the boy. When I saw Wolverine reappear at the surface with Kurt, I created a large waterspout to bring them both back up to land.

"Pull her back up," I told the kids at the reel while Wolverine looked over Nightcrawler. While they did that, I helped Cyclops back up as well. He walked back up the rope, and I pulled him over the edge. "I'm going to kill her," I told him while she made her way over to the crowd surrounding Nightcrawler, leaving the others to pull the basket back up on their own.

"Hold it in, Flood," Cyclops told me, "Wolverine looks like he gets first dibs." Logan angrily waved away the other students, to make space for Kurt, who was now coming to and tenderly touching his head. "You take care of the other students. Logan and I will deal with this."

I nodded, "I'll meet you guys inside." I whistled loudly and got everyone's attention, "Okay, everyone who isn't Tabitha, Logan, Scott, or Kurt, get your ass over here and help me clean up." I watched Wolverine march the two clowns towards the institute while Scott followed. Nobody here seemed impressed with what Tabitha did. We brought the equipment back to the lower levels of the Institute and put them in storage.

_Thalia, would you please send the students to the danger room?_ Professor Xavier spoke into my head.

"Alright, guys, good work today. Professor X wants to see us in the danger room, so let's get going," I alerted them. They groaned and complained amongst themselves, and I didn't interrupt. I know how much it sucks being on the receiving end of a lecture for something you weren't involved with. I parted with the students and went to the locker room instead of directly to the danger room. I changed out of my uniform and into a pleated teal skirt and a fuchsia blouse. Then I went to the danger room and stood behind Kitty.

"And the only way to enforce those rules," Professor Xavier was saying, "to ensure your obedience, to keep you all _safe_, is for there to be penalties. So, Tabitha, Kurt, for two weeks, you are confined to the Institute everyday after school, you are prohibited from using your powers, and you will attend _two_ training sessions a day, with Logan."

"But…" Tabitha was about to protest, but Kurt held her back.

"Yes, Professor, we understand," Kurt accepted, giving a meaningful look to Tabitha. She scowled as the Professor dismissed the students.

"So, like, what happened?" Kitty asked me while we headed upstairs, "And why do you look so cute? Roy coming around again today?"

"Tabitha was screwing around during rescue training. She just…doesn't care about what happens!" I was fuming by this point.

"Oh, I know," Kitty agreed with a disdainful expression, "and all that makeup? Like, what's up with that?"

I shrugged, "Maybe she's trying to make a statement? I don't know." I stood outside the door of the bathroom and conversed with Kitty while she changed into her civvies.

"Hey, you totally didn't answer my other question," Kitty pointed out. "What's with the outfit?" She phased her head through the door and smirked at me.

I rolled my eyes, "It's no big deal, Kitty. I brought some cute clothes with me, I can't go to school in jeans everyday."

"You and Pietro talking again?" she inquired. Pietro and I haven't spoken much since the day of the awarding ceremony the other day. It's not that I'm ignoring him, exactly. I've just been busy. After Roy and I hung out, Professor X tasked me with training the new recruits. Then, I found out that Catcher escaped from her high security prison cell, so I've been on my laptop whenever I can. And when I'm not trying to track her down, I'm on the phone with Batman or Robin, so my line's always busy. And when I'm not on the phone with my cousins, I'm training my ass off in the danger room with Logan.

"Not really," I sighed. "I've been really busy lately."

Kitty stepped through the door, fully dressed, "Yeah, I know. Like, you're more cooped up in your room now than you were during midterms. What's wrong?"

"There's just a lot on my mind," I said evasively.

"Is it Roy?" Kitty asked sympathetically.

I immediately put on my stoic face, "What? Why would you ask me that?"

This time, Kitty rolled her eyes, "The two of you spent the whole day together that one time, and you're always talking to him on the phone during lunch." Well, yeah. Roy's been helping me with the Catcher investigation. Joker is to Batman as Catcher is to Blackstar.

"Look, there's nothing going on between me and Roy," I told Kitty as we made our way to Scott's sweet, _sweet_ ride.

Kitty grinned at me when we got in, "I never said there was."

"Shut up," I mumbled and sulked for the rest of the ride. This sucks. I had a s*** relationship with Roy when I built up a good one with Pietro. Now it's reversed, and that isn't going well with me. Yes, I'm glad that Roy and I are on good terms again, but I don't like that Pietro and I haven't spoken lately. I haven't even seen him at school! He's been ditching more now that Mystique's gone AWOL. The entire Brotherhood's been out for a few days.

The school's been transformed into a carnival in a under a day. The football and soccer fields were covered with rides. Mr. Kelly made his morning announcements during first period, reminding all of the students that the school fundraiser was tonight, and the money's going to go into rebuilding the gym after the fire last month.

I didn't see Pietro all day again, and I wish that I was more concerned about that. I mean, yeah, I'm worried that something's up with him, but I have other things to deal with. I stopped at my locker after the bell and took out my phone. I've been corresponding with Roy during my first two classes. There seems to have been leads on Catcher, but from what we were able to find, it sounded like she was in Idaho, Washington, Maine, _and_ Kentucky. On the way to class, I saw something that threw me on alert.

Tabitha and a man were alone in the hall, and he had a hand on her arm. She didn't seem too happy with this guy's presence, and Professor X told me to keep an eye out for her at school. Tabitha pulled her arm out of the man's grasp and headed to class. The man turned in my direction and started to walk towards the exit. I got a good look at his face as he passed and committed it to memory.

Later, at lunch, I asked Kitty about it. "Hey, Boom Boom's not supposed to have visitors, right?"

Kitty shrugged, "I don't know really. Like, why?"

"There was some guy bothering her after second period," I told her. "It just seemed like something was up."

"You could ask her later, if you really wanted to, I guess," Kitty suggested. "Hey, you're eating inside today."

I barely heard her last realization. I was too busy looking at my phone. I registered her statement, half a second late, "Oh, yeah. I've been so busy lately, I'm starting to miss being in the presence of other people." It's been getting colder out, and even though we're having a mild autumn, most of the kids choose to stay indoors for lunch. I glanced around the cafeteria. Jean was sitting with Duncan, as was the norm. Scott, Kurt, and Tabitha were all at one table. Rogue and that new British exchange student were sitting at a far table, and I even saw Lance and Toad hanging around, but there was no sign of Pietro.

"Hey, cheer up," Kitty elbowed me playfully, "he'll show up sooner or later."

"Yeah, I'm sure he will," I said halfheartedly. We've been experiencing conflicting opinions lately, and it's so much harder to keep up a relationship with someone you just can't se eye to eye with when it comes to something big like the whole Mutant thing. Maybe it's just me, but I don't know if what we have now is going to last much longer. I saw Lance leave the cafeteria and thought I'd talk to him about it a little bit. Out of all the guys in the Brotherhood, he's one of the most reasonable. "I'll see you after school, Kitty, later," I wrapped up the rest of my veggie burger and tossed it into a garbage can as I followed the earthquaker.

"Hey, Thalia!" an _annoyingly_ familiar voice rang out. Bianca hasn't been much of a problem for me for the past month. If nothing else, she's been too concerned following Duncan around to bother with me. "Where's your boyfriend? Tired of you already?" Laughter resonated at her table.

I shrugged, "Hey, I lasted longer than you, didn't I?"

Bianca's eyes narrowed at me, "Watch it, Thalia. You never know when you're going to piss off the wrong person."

I gave her a blatantly questioning look, "Is that person supposed to be you? Sorry, Marx, but I have bigger things to worry about than you."

"I'd be worrying too if my boyfriend was hooking up with every other whore in this school," she said, obviously bothered by the fact that I really couldn't care less about her empty threats.

I shrugged again, "Boys will be boys. Sorry, but you just wasted a minute of my life that I could've used for something important. Now, if you'll excuse me." I walked away without looking back. I don't really care about what Bianca Marx has to say. She's really nothing more than a jealous, spoiled b****. There's nothing I can do about it, and if I actually hit her, I'll probably be suspended or something.

When I caught up with Lance, I saw that the whole hallway was covered with littered pop cans and loose change. "I'm required by the school to tell you not to touch that cash," I pointed out to him when I approached.

"Hey, Lia," he greeted.

"Damn, Lance, what'd you do this time?" I checked out the broken soda machine. "Explosions really aren't your style," I remarked. The metal was scorched and metal bent outwards.

"Wasn't me this time," Lance said.

"Tabitha?" I asked knowingly. She's the only one who would've done this in broad daylight. None of the other kids are that stupid or reckless.

Lance shrugged, "Can't really tell you that, can I? I'd be violating some kind of code, or something."

I rolled my eyes, "I'm so sure. Look, Lance, I haven't heard much from Pietro. Are you guys doing okay?" I know that I shouldn't be offering my services to the bad guys, but they're just a bunch of misguided rebels.

"Eh, we're a bit tight if you know what I mean," he made the universal sign for money. "It's not a big deal. Pietro and Blob are too stupid to show up. It's nothing."

That gave me some relief. At least I know that Magneto hasn't pulled them back into some master plan of his. "Okay, thanks. Hey, if you guys need anything legal, I can help you out."

Lance scoffed, "No thanks. We're not gonna be taking charities from you."

I shrugged, "Just an offer, never said you had to take it." I started to walk away, but Lance called out my name, and I turned around.

"Hey, I'm not trying to be nosy, or anything, but has Kitty said anything about me?" he asked.

I guess it's kind of cute that the tough guy's asking me about the girl he's crushing on. I could see that it was damaging his male ego to ask, so I answered him, "Yeah. She thinks you're pretty cool."

"Alright, uh, thanks," Lance said.

"No problem," I waved it away like nothing. "I'll see you around."

Scott gave us a ride back to the Institute after school, and I got wedged in the back with Kurt and Tabitha. Principal Kelly was trying to use me as some sort of celebrity advertising for the fundraiser. I've already donated five hundred dollars in the Wayne family name to this building, what more does he want me to do? Sit around and take pictures with the kids?

"It's not that big of a deal," Kurt tried to calm me down after I fumed about it to Scott and Kitty in the car.

"He's extorting a student, that's got to be illegal somewhere," I scoffed. When Kurt, Tabitha, and I walked in, we saw that same guy from earlier with the Professor. I could've sworn I heard the man say the word 'daughter'. Judging by the look on Boom Boom's face, she's not looking forward to seeing her father. The two of them walked into the study to talk. The Professor gave me a look, and I know he was about to tell me that this man was trouble. I spoke before he could say anything, "I already know."

I went up to my room and changed into a new outfit for tonight. There's nothing wrong with what I was already wearing, but I get the feeling that pants would be better for tonight than a skirt. So I put on black skinnies, a gray T-shirt, and a purple jacket. When I checked my phone, I got a text from Roy letting me know that he's already on his way over. As soon as I set my phone down, it started spazzing from a call. I didn't bother checking the ID, "Thalia here."

"Hey, Angel," Pietro said on the other end.

My chest tightened involuntarily. It's been a while since I last heard from him, maybe Lance told him I was asking around during school today. "Hey," I replied.

"So, listen, we haven't seen each other in a while, so I'm-thinking-it'd-be-good-if-we-go-to-the-carnival -tonight," he said quickly.

I really do want to go with Pietro, but I also invited Roy to the carnival. I mean, it shouldn't be a big deal. Roy and I are friends, and Pietro's my boyfriend. That's that. "Okay, I'll meet you there," I said.

"Great. See ya there, Angel," Pietro said and hung up before I could tell him about Roy. I sighed, _Would it kill him to slow down for once?_ I tucked my utility belt into the lining of my jacket, and put all my other stuff into a purse. I sat in front of my laptop. I hacked into the Institute's files and brought up Tabitha's record. Okay, maybe it's an invasion of privacy or something, but if Mr. Smith poses a threat to the other students, I think it could be excused. After getting his full name, I did a full background search using the access I have to the public records from my laptop. Technology, what a gift! It turns out that this guy's been known for committing petty theft. Huh, no wonder Boom Boom's so cray cray.

"Hey, Lia! There's a tall, dark stranger waiting for you outside!" Kitty laughed from outside my door. Okay, this shouldn't be so bad. The whole carnival thing really isn't Roy's scene, so if I told him about Mr. Smith, he'd sniff out the conman like a bloodhound. Then Pietro and I can follow around Tabby. Oh, great, now I'm treating something that should be fun like a mission. Well, I guess it sort of is a mission now.

Roy tossed me the helmet and got back on his bike. _Who needs to say a civil hello nowadays anyway?_ I thought to myself sarcastically. "So, Pietro's meeting up with us when we get there," I informed him through the com set installed in the helmets.

"Yeah? So?" Roy said in that testy all work and no play voice of his.

"So you're going to be nice," I informed him.

Roy scoffed, "Whatever, Lia."

I figured that now would be a good time to tell him. "One of the students at the Institute has a parent visiting. Problem is, he's not supposed to be visiting."

"And why do I care?" Roy asked.

"Shut up and let me finish," I snapped. "Anyway, the guy's got a record of some local thefts in Roanoke. He doesn't hit the big businesses, just local."

"Yeah, okay," Roy started getting more interested in the topic.

"The carnival should be bringing in a lot of cash," I added.

"You want me to check him out?" Roy asked. He didn't sound bothered by it. He was all business.

"You get Smith senior, and I get baby girl," I said half-jokingly. Well, baby girl _should_ be at home under house arrest, but knowing her, she's going to find some way to sneak out. Roy parked his bike, and I handed him my helmet. "Just keep an eye on him," I told him, "this isn't your city, red. Don't involve yourself more than you have to."

"I know what to do," he stated.

"Good luck, archer," I said to him before departing in the opposite direction. I made it to the Spider Whirl when I found Tabitha. Honesty, I'm not surprised that she snuck out, but I _am_ surprised that she brought Kurt along with her. The girl left a mess in her wake.

"Hey, at least one of you knows how to have fun," Pietro said with mock surprise. I didn't start at the Mutant's sudden arrival.

"She's going to f*** up sooner or later," I said certainly.

Pietro scrutinized strangely, "Why're you so uptight? You mess around with your powers all the time."

"My powers don't involve cherry bombs," I retorted.

"Okay, so what should we do? Ferris wheel? Cotton candy?" he rattled off. My eyes followed Tabitha and Kurt while they stumbled off the ride and took off.

"Let's go this way," I said, grabbing his hand and following the two other Mutants. Tabitha has got to be the most reckless person I've ever had on a team with me. Everywhere she went, s*** blew up. At the rate she was going, we'd end up _losing_ money to the carnies.

"Lance said you were asking about me," Pietro said, "that's sweet of you, Angel. Look, you know I didn't mean anything by the whole soccer thing last month. I've really missed you, Lia."

"Mhmm," I replied only partially aware of what he was saying. My mind was preoccupied. It seemed to me that Tabitha was using Kurt to escape the blame for her pranks. We followed them for a couple hours, and at some point, I just couldn't hear Pietro's voice anymore. His mouth was moving, and he was holding my hand, and everything should have been perfect, but I just couldn't hear what he was saying anymore.

"I'm really sorry, Lia, you know that, right?" he asked slightly panicking when we got to one of the less crowded areas of the carnival.

"Yeah, of course," I spoke mindlessly. My focus was on the Mutant pair in front of us. I know that if I take my eyes off them for a minute, they're just going to disappear, and I'm going to have to hunt them down again.

Suddenly, Pietro was standing in front of me, "Are you even listening to me? I know I've been a bit out of it lately, but you don't have to ignore me." He actually sounded pretty upset, but still, I was trying to see over his shoulder if the two X-Men were still there.

"Pietro, I'm sorry," I know that I sounded impatient, but I really meant it. "I just have a lot of things on my mind right now."

He grasped me by the shoulders, "Then talk to me about it. Angel, come on." Tabitha stopped Kurt. They were either going to go back to the Institute, or blow something up. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Roy lurking by one of the closed booths, and then I knew that something bad was about to happen.

"Tro, I really have to go, I'll talk to you later," I kept looking over his shoulder. Tabitha pushed Kurt into the arcade tent, and she was heading towards her father, who was leaning against a closed food stand with this smug expression on his face like he had just won the lotto.

I tried to pull away from Pietro, but his grip tightened. "No," he argued, "Lia, we have to talk about this now. What is going on?"

I didn't take my eyes off my teammate. "I _promise_, Pietro, I'll tell you later," urgency started to creep into my voice. Mr. Smith should not be talking to Tabitha. Her mother made it very clear in her statement that Mr. Smith is not allowed to have contact with their daughter unless Professor Xavier is present. "Tro, you have to let go of me," my voice suddenly took on a low, commanding tone, "_now_."

His dark blue eyes widened at my tone of voice, "What's wrong with you, Lia?"

I was too focused on the Smiths that I didn't notice Roy standing behind me. I only realized what he was doing when Pietro's hands were removed from my shoulders, "She said to let go." Roy didn't sound menacing or threatening, but as a person, he's very intimidating. _Ugh, of all the times for this to happen, it has to happen now!_ I thought to myself angrily.

"Who the hell are you?" Pietro's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"He's a friend," I answered before Roy could say anything incriminating.

Pietro glared at Roy and then at me, "Are you here with him?" For a guy who could think as fast as a computer, he really _doesn't_ think. "Dammit, Angel, you're f****** cheating on me?" he jumped to conclusions faster than he can run.

I scoffed indignantly, taking offense to the accusation, "The fact that you would even _ask_ that!" I don't have time for this. I could _see_ Tabitha talking to her father. I could _see_ the conflicted expression on that girl's face. "Pietro, I don't have time for this right now," I said calmly.

"Like hell you don't. Is _this_ why you haven't spoken to me all month? _Tell me,_ Angel," the desperation in his voice broke my heart. I wanted to explain to him that Roy was just a friend to me, and I wanted him to know that I've spent this last month doing business, but most of my mind was too focused on the fact that one of my teammates was possibly putting herself in harm's way.

"No!" I insisted.

"Then who is this guy?" Pietro demanded.

"Lia," Roy said warningly. Like me, he wasn't giving his full attention to Pietro, but unlike me, he was completely unconcerned with Pietro. What he pointed out to me was Tabitha and Mr. Smith walking away.

"Don't f****** talk to her," Pietro said in a dangerous tone.

"I know," I responded to Roy. They were walking farther away. "Pietro, can we please talk about this later?" I pleaded. Kurt reappeared from the arcade and looked for the blonde girl, but either he didn't see us or he didn't care. Either way, he was more concerned with Tabitha, just like I am.

"No, we're going to talk about this now, Angel." Pietro insisted and repeated slowly, "Who is this guy?"

"He's a friend of mine from Star City," I said quickly, "he's just visiting. Nothing's going on." I still wasn't looking at him. I was watching Tabitha walk towards the school building with her father.

"Thing is, Angel, I don't believe you," Pietro said. He grabbed my arm and forced me to look up at him, "Look me in the eye and tell me the truth."

"Lia," Roy's voice was more urgent than last time. I glanced behind Pietro, and I saw the Smiths turn the corner of the burned down gym. I couldn't waste any more time with my boyfriend right then. I had to put my priorities in check.

I flipped Pietro onto his back in a split second, without any warning, and looked down at him sadly. He had the most stunned expression on his face when he realized what happened, and it quickly morphed into an angry scowl. I should have apologized, I don't know what I'd be apologizing for, maybe the fact that we haven't spoken or seen each other, that I didn't tell him about Roy, or that I wasn't paying attention to him, but I should have apologized for _something._ I didn't, though. The part of me that actually really, _really_ did care about Pietro was completely numb.

I kept eye contact with him while I backed away. The look of raw anger and betrayal and sadness in his eyes made my heart ache, but I still didn't stop. I turned, and I ran with Roy in tow. Kurt passed me, and I met his gaze. He obviously looked concerned, first of all, for Tabitha, and secondly, for me, because I know he saw the whole thing. 'Get Scott,' I mouthed to him as I passed.

"Which way did they go?" Roy asked me when we got into the building. The whole scene with Pietro caused us to fall behind by quite a bit.

"They're probably up by the office," I replied and started to run towards the main office. I heard another explosion as we neared the door across from us, and then I saw Tabitha and her father run out of the door with the fundraiser's proceeds. Unfortunately, Toad dropped down from the ceiling as I reached for my utility belt. _Dammit, dammit, dammit,_ I chanted silently. He took the bag of money and hopped away. Tabitha and her father chased the boy around the corner.

Knowing the way they work, where one of those boys is, the others are lurking nearby. "Come on," I said to Roy turned down a hallway parallel to the one the others were giving chase in. The Brotherhood may be stupid, but they know well enough not to trash any more of the school building than they already have. I was right. They were heading back to the old gymnasium. I led Roy out of the building and fired a cable up to the roof. The two of us stood up there and got ready for an opportune moment.

"What are we waiting for?" Roy asked.

"Backup," I replied. I watched what was happening down below. The Brotherhood had the money, and Tabitha _walked away_. She actually turned her back and walked, but her father grabbed her arm angrily.

"We don't need backup," Roy said confidently. In a normal situation, no, we wouldn't need reinforcements, but this isn't a normal situation. This is a situation that Roy doesn't have to involve himself with too greatly, especially while he's in civvies. If the two of us just jumped on the scene with four Mutants and a human thief and just started kicking ass, someone's going to be suspicious about something.

Suddenly, a familiar white and red blast blew a door down. "This isn't your city, red," I told him smoothly. "Thanks, but I think this is something for them to handle on their own." Then the building started to shake due to Avalanche's powers.

I sat down on the roof and watched. Roy stood behind me, "You're not going down there?"

I shook my head and watched Jean stop Toad from making away with the money, "I think they have everything under control."

"We're the backup then," Roy stated the question more than he asked it.

I shrugged, "They're a bit rough around the edges, but this _is_ their city. Can't have us big timers intruding uninvited." Although, technically, I did invite him. Admittedly, I felt more relaxed now that Scott was handling things down there, so my mind strayed to that whole incident with Pietro. I already knew that things were getting bad between us. It became more and more obvious ever since Asteroid M. Maybe it's better off if we just end things now. It'll probably save everyone the trouble.

"Lia, if you want to talk…" Roy started comfortingly.

I shook my head and got to my feet when Mr. Smith made a beeline for the stairs leading to the roof, "You've been a great help, archer, but I think you should get out of here now."

He turned his head to look at what was happening and nodded, "Yeah. I'll see you around. Watch your back." Then we took off in opposite directions. I carefully walked across the charred boards of the gym's partially caved in roof while Roy got away from the action.

Mr. Smith's foot fell through the boards while he attempted to make a clean getaway. He dropped the bag a foot away from where he was stuck. "Dad! Hold on, give me your hand!" Tabitha instructed her father worriedly.

"Tabby, you just keep those others away," her father ordered her and reached for the bag.

"Dad, come on!" the pleading tone in Tabitha's voice was so much different than the Tabitha I'm used to, "Forget the money! Grab my hand! Please, Daddy!" I saw the floor under them start to give out. Mr. Smith completely disobeyed his daughter, and reached for the bag, causing the floorboards to break. I slowed their fall long enough for Nightcrawler to teleport and get them to safety. Thus ending my direct involvement with this case. I walked across the roof and looked down.

Police cars were waiting for the Smiths at the exit. I saw the bag of money hit the ground and the two put their hands up. I levitated myself down to the burned gym floor. "So, are we done here?" I asked, standing between the Brotherhood and the X-Men.

They all looked at me confusedly. "How long have you been up there?" Jean asked.

"I just got here," I lied fluidly.

"Yeah, we're done here," Lance said from my left side.

"Yeah," Scott agreed, "let's go." The X-Men slowly turned their backs to the Brotherhood and walked out the way they came. I put my hands in my pockets and followed them silently.

"Hey, Lia," Lance called out. I stopped and looked over my shoulder. "Where's Pietro? He was supposed to be here."

"I don't know," I said in a voice just loud enough for them to hear. Everything caught up with me then. I know, I know. I should have just taken the time to explain everything to Pietro. It wouldn't have done any good, anyway. I mean, Tro and I were just heading in this direction. Still, there's this hope I have that maybe I can talk to him. Maybe this is just a catalyst, and it's just speeding up the inevitable. Although, even though I _know_ that it's just best if we break up now, I honestly hope that it doesn't come to that.

Why'd I even rush so much if I wasn't really going to do anything anyway? Well, I may not have done anything directly, but I couldn't just let something like this happen without having some idea of the outcome. I knew that either I'd stop them myself, or the X-Men would do something. Knowing that the X-Men would get involved, I had to be there to watch out for them. It's like teaching a kid how to ride a bike. You can be right there alongside them, holding them steady, but eventually, you have to let go, stay close, and watch. The X-Men have it in them to be great heroes. They can possibly even make it up to Justice League standards, but they have to learn, and _I_ have to learn. I have to learn how to hold back. I can't just rush in and save the day. The X-Men can take care of this city. I know they can. I have _faith_ in them.

_A/N... Ah, well, that was pretty stressful. I don't know if I made it clear, but Lia didn't stop the robbery from taking place because she wanted the X-Men to step up as law enforcers. She and Roy followed the Smiths because Lia didn't want Tabitha to get hurt. _

**_Oh, the drama. How do you guys feel about Thalia's "business mode"? Think she should stay with Pietro, or should they cut it off? Let me know in your reviews._**

MEleeSmasher... Professor Xavier does not know that Thalia is Blackstar. I don't think Professor Xavier would invade her privacy like that. Although, he knows that she's been raised in an environment that exposed her to the importance of Mutant-human interaction, and he's a pretty good judge of character. So that's why he believes in her so much. 


	22. Chapter 22

_Present Day – December 22, 2007 – Batcave, Gotham City, Connecticut_

It started to snow later in the month. Within a few weeks, the ground was laden with snow. A snowstorm hit the whole northeast coast. From Maine to Maryland, we got snow. Professor Xavier sent us home for Christmas break, and instead of finding myself relaxing for the holidays, I spent my first day back in Gotham down in the Batcave with Dick and Bruce.

"Why am I doing this?" I asked Bruce while I washed the Batmobile. I already cleaned the whole Batcave when I came home for Thanksgiving. I didn't promise anything about the car. Once again, Batman didn't let me use my powers to get my chores done faster.

Batman turned around in his chair with his fingers laced under his chin, "You aren't supposed to do any patrolling while you're boarding at the Institute, but I had a nice talk with Clark, and it seems that a couple of crooks were caught in New York a month ago by Blackstar and Speedy." He arched an eyebrow, daring me to argue.

Robin laughed amusedly, "Way to go, Lia, you didn't even _try_ to keep on the DL."

I rolled my eyes and continued my work, "So I go on one patrol with Speedy. Big deal! Come on, Bats, I did good!" It's funny, just yesterday I was having a Christmas party with the X-Men. We exchanged gifts and everything. We got some pretty sweet gifts. Kitty got me a new jacket, and Rogue got me a new sketchbook. I got some other stuff from Kurt and Evan, too. I gave Kitty an original, one of a kind cardigan from Wayne Style, and I got Rogue a new pair of gloves, also an original from Wayne Style. For Kurt, I got him a Wayne Tech watch that _actually tells time_, and I got Evan that autograph from Bruce he asked for when I first moved to the Institute.

It was a fun, and I know that Kitty and Kurt went out of their way to make sure I was having fun. After the carnival, I tried calling Pietro. I must have called three times before he actually picked up. I tried to apologize to him, but he didn't care about what I said. He just blew everything I said off like it was nothing. He talked to me in this _stupid_ carefree manner that made me want to drive to the boarding house, and punch him in the face. At some point, he just said that he was breaking up with me. That's it. Just"Yeah, sorry, babe, but this isn't working out for me. I'm sure you'll be fine with that _friend_ of yours, anyway." Just that little undertone of bitterness, and then he made it _very clear_ that Tabitha had moved in with them. I already knew this, but he just _had_ to rub it in.

"What were you doing with Speedy, anyway?" Dick asked confusedly, "Aren't you with that Mutant guy?"

"Just because we were running patrolling together _one time_, is not a big deal!" I exclaimed, "And no, we broke up."

Dick blinked twice before asking, "What happened?"

I shrugged and kept washing the vehicle, "Roy was helping me handle something in Bayville, and Pietro flipped out. He was already upset when Roy showed up, but Pietro jumped to conclusions without letting me explain."

"What was Roy doing in Bayville?" Bruce asked.

"I invited him to the fundraiser, but something happened with one of our students. I needed him to help out," I explained.

"And Pietro?" Bruce prompted.

I sighed, "We haven't spoken since. I don't have time for a boyfriend now, anyway. Catcher's on the loose, I have the X-Men to worry about, _and_ I need a spring line ready to go by February."

"On the bright side," Bruce started, "at least you don't have to take him home to your parents for Christmas." I tripped over the bucket of water. Wait, wait, wait, wait, _wait! _I don't remember this being part of my holiday plans.

I cheated with my powers a little bit just to get the water back into the bucket, and then I turned to my mentor. "What?! Bruce, you have _got_ to be kidding me!" I exclaimed.

"He doesn't look like he's kidding," Robin pointed out.

I shot Dick a death glare before turning it to Bruce. I haven't seen my parents at all since my Mutation manifested. Ha, do you really think I'm stupid enough to go into a house where I'm just going to be experimented on? Bruce, however, still thinks that I should try to spend more time with my family. "Your parents want all of us over for Christmas Eve dinner," Bruce relayed the invitation.

I know that Bruce lost Uncle Tom and Aunt Martha when he was a kid, but he has a family now. _This _family made up of me and Dick and Alfred. The people in Indiana aren't family. They're scientists, and that's all they've ever been. I sighed, "Bruce, I don't know about this…"

"Dick and I will both be there," he assured me, "you have nothing to worry about."

"I guess," I wrung out the sponge in my hand nervously. Dinner? With my parents? Dick's met them twice in the time that he's been here, and Bruce acts as my legal guardian. _This_ is my family. "Okay, fine, I guess it can't be that bad," I said mostly to myself.

Dick laughed, "You act like you had a choice." I threw the sponge into his face with dead accuracy. It's just dinner, I can do this.

_Present Day – December 24, 2007 – Crown Point, Indiana_

"So this is where you grew up," Dick said, nosing around my old bedroom. It was still pink and frilly because my mother insisted on it being that way since I was eleven. She always said that she wanted me to be happy, even though the bright pink never actually made me feel that great. In actuality, it was her guilt for shirking her parental duties for all those years.

I sat on the edge of the bed and sighed, "Yeah."

He nodded approvingly, "It's not bad…if you don't mind all this…uh, pink."

I scoffed, "You haven't even seen the lab in the basement." I spent so many years of my life staying home, _sick_ because my parents took too much blood for their experiments. I was always tired, and I could barely get up most days. Professor X was the first to say that enough was enough.

"Does it bother you?" Dick asked sympathetically, sitting next to me.

I shook my head, "It doesn't bother me as much now. There's nothing they can do to me anymore." I'm not the kid my parents wish they had raised. I can fight for myself, and I can do whatever the hell I want to do without needing their permission.

"Knock, knock," my mother said, standing at my door with a smile plastered to her face. "I just came in to check on you, Thalia. I didn't expect to see you in here, Richard." The disapproval in her voice was anything but subtle.

"Hi, Rachel," Dick greeted my mother, "thanks for inviting us."

She kept that smile on her face and said, "Oh, it's no problem at all, dear. Why don't you go check on Bruce, okay?"

Dick glanced at me, and exchanged a short conversation in that one look. He just wanted to make sure that I would be fine, and once he was assured, he smiled at my mother and said, "Okay. I'll see you later, Lia." He walked out and closed the door behind him.

As soon as the door closed, Mom stopped smiling, "I don't like that boy being in your room."

I don't know if I should laugh or throw up. I settled on keeping a straight face, "Dick's four years younger than me and a part of the family. Really, Mom, that's gross."

"He's still a boy," she insisted sternly. I shook my head. I had to remind myself that she was trying. She was doing a bad job at it, though. Actually, she was just trying too hard. I'm sure that she feels bad for what she let go on for so long, but there's no way that the damage can be undone. She led me into a false sense of security for years, but when it comes down to it, she's just another scientist.

I glared at her in annoyance, "He's my cousin. Look, Mom, I still have to unpack, and I'm feeling kind of tired…"

"Erik called," Mom informed me. I tightened my grip on the comforter to keep from hitting something.

"What did _he_ want?" I ground out. Yeah, I'm still very much pissed off that he had his son assist in kidnapping me.

"Watch your tone," Mom said sternly. "Erik is a good friend of this family, Thalia. You should respect him."

I scoffed, "I'd rather eat glass."

"Don't say things like that," Mom snapped. "He just wanted to greet us for the holidays. Honestly, Thalia, where do you get that attitude from?"

"It's nice of him to call…considering he hasn't communicated with you for the last nine years or so," I said coldly.

Mom sighed, "Why can't a nice gesture be just that with you, Thalia?"

"Because I've seen enough 'nice gestures' and 'cover-ups' to know the difference, Mom," I replied honestly. Bruce promised me that we would stay here for dinner and then go back to Gotham. I told him that I would try to play nice with my parents until then, but it's _hard_.

"How's this Institute?" Mom asked, "Charles is taking care of you, right?"

"Yeah," I answered simply.

"Rachel, Thalia," my dad called from downstairs, "dinner's ready!"

"Coming," Mom answered cheerfully. She's not a bad person, not really. Neither of them are. They're good scientists, but they aren't good parents. The spread in front of us included a ham, a turkey, stuffing…the whole she-bang. My father looks similar to Bruce. Same coloring, same face shape, but my father wears glasses and has a thinner frame than Bruce.

If I know one thing about my dad, it's that he can't cook to save his life. I glanced at Alfred standing by the kitchen door, and he shrugged as if he had no part in cooking this meal. Bruce, Dick, and Dad were all sitting at the table already. When I was a kid, we never celebrated Christmas, or any holiday for that matter. I never thought it was weird. It was just how my life went. My parents were either busy working or experimenting on their free time, and they'd just lose track of time. I spent my first New Year with Pietro and Wanda. Just the three of us, sitting outside, watching the fireworks.

"So, Bruce, how's business?" Dad asked.

"It's going well, I settled an arrangement with a Quraci manufacturer last weekend," Bruce said. "And you?"

"Oh, we're just working on some biotechnology. It's really quite interesting," Dad said.

Bruce and Dad started to talk about the cyber-organic technology my father was developing. I sat silently next to Dick, eating my mashed potatoes, and feeling, as if, for once, everything was going well. I picked at my food with my fork, not really eating it at all. I felt Dick nudge me with his elbow. "Thalia, are you listening to me?" my father asked impatiently.

"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention," I said blankly.

"I asked how was school at Bayville High," Dad repeated.

"Oh, it's okay," I replied simply. The less I encourage them, the less they'll ask questions, or they'll ask more questions to lessen the tension. It's possible that they'll just jump straight to the point…that's more likely.

Bruce decided to answer for me, "She's doing very well. She had straight A's for the first semester." I could have done better, but that would have drawn attention to myself.

"Are you in any clubs?" Mom asked.

Dad nodded, "Sports were always popular when I was in high school."

Dick laughed outright, "Lia? In a sport?"

I rolled my eyes, "I'm not doing any school activities. I'm busy."

Mom sighed disappointedly, "You know, colleges are going to be looking for things like that on an application." Bull. S***. She never cared about college for me. Do you want to know what they used what would have been my college funds for? Equipment for the lab.

"They're just looking for someone who can juggle a bunch of stupid activities at one time," I corrected. "It should be easy enough for me to get into one. Besides, I'm only a freshman."

"I'm sure Charles can put in a good word for you, anyway," Mom said surely.

"So, Thalia," Dad said in a business-like voice, "have there been any recent advancements regarding your mutation?"

I tightened my grip on my fork and maintained my composure, "No."

My father scrutinized me the way a scientist observes a subject, "Are you sure? Nothing new? After dinner, we can run some tests to…" As soon as he said the word tests, a glass shattered. Dick glanced at me quickly in concern, but Bruce's visage didn't break even a little bit. He didn't continue to eat after that, but maybe that was because it was his glass that broke. Bruce kept his expression guarded, and he didn't show any signs of irritation or anger. The only sound at the table was that of Alfred taking away Bruce's plate and cleaning the remnants of the glass. "I thought you were getting your powers under control," my father said with his eyes narrowed.

"I thought you wanted me here for Christmas dinner," I retorted.

"Don't talk to your father like that," my mother snapped. "That is exactly why we invited you, but it wouldn't hurt if you would just allow us to run a physical test to make sure that…"

"Bull," I stated, my voice wavering with outrage.

"Excuse me?" my mother demanded aghast.

"You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar," I practically hissed. "Isn't that right?"

"Thalia, what on earth is the matter with you?" my father demanded.

"I don't know," I scowled, "is there a _test_ to find out?"

"Those tests are to help you," my mother insisted.

I laughed humorlessly, "Really? How the hell are they supposed to help me? All I ever remember them doing is make me sick. If you remember things differently, by all means, share."

"Lia, calm down," Dick said in a firm but soothing voice.

It's funny. I usually don't blow up like this. I've been trained not to, but I guess I haven't had enough training to handle my own parents. Wait…I guess it's not that funny. I took a couple deep breaths and glared at my parents, daring them to challenge me. Then Bruce rose to his feet as well and smiled decently at my parents, "Harrison, Rachel, thank you for having us for dinner, but we really should get going."

And just like that, they were civilized human beings again. My father smiled and shook Bruce's hand, telling him that it was an interesting meal and we should visit them again. My mother hugged me, and I hugged her back. All of these good natured smiles and hugs…they were all just appearances. Just like this house. Just like my room. Just like this family. Just like me.

_Present day –23:47 EST– December 24, 2007 – Wayne Manor, Gotham City, Connecticut_

I beat the s*** out of a training dummy in the gym. Two hours after dinner at my parents', and I was still stressed and angry. Bruce came down eventually while I was taking a water break. "You okay?" he asked me.

I wiped my face with a towel and pushed some stray hairs out of my face, "What do you think?"

"They're trying, Lia," Bruce said.

I scoffed, "Trying to do what, Bruce? Trying to fix a broken family, or trying to get back their lab toy?" I put my towel and water bottle back on the floor and headed back to the mats. I drew my arm back to punch, but Bruce stopped me by holding my fist in his hand.

"Come on," he said and walked out of the gym. I gathered my stuff and followed him. I ended up following my mentor to the living room.

"What is this?" I asked suspiciously. Dick was sitting on the couch, and Alfred had just set down three steaming mugs on the coffee table. I turned to Bruce and saw that he had on the _ugliest_ Christmas sweater I have ever seen in my entire life. I couldn't help but laugh.

"Things didn't go over very well at dinner," Dick turned and said, I noticed that he was also wearing a tacky Christmas sweater, "and we thought that taking the rest of the night off would be good."

"For you, Miss Lia," Alfred said and handed me another sweater, "I picked it out myself." I looked at the faces of Dick, Alfred, and Bruce and smiled.

"Thanks, Al, it's perfect," I pulled my head and arms through the sweater and sat on the couch next to Dick. "So, what're we watching?"

"Right now?" Dick said with an 'our guardian is so lame' eyeroll, "the news." It may be a holiday, and even though we're taking the night off, we're still keeping tabs. Keeping track of the news stories.

"Cocoa?" I asked questioningly, picking up one of the mugs.

"Don't question it," Bruce ordered good-naturedly. I didn't argue with him. We sat together well past midnight.

"Merry Christmas," I whispered to my family before I fell asleep on the couch.

"Merry Christmas," I heard them answer in unison as I drifted to sleep.

#*#*#*

_Present day – December 27, 2007 – Batcave, Gotham City, Connecticut_

I looked at the reports on the large computer screen in front of me and sighed. Everything seemed to be a dead end. I just couldn't win without some decent leads. The Dynamic Duo approached me after a one on one training session on the mats.

"Still looking?" Robin asked.

"Still getting nowhere," I replied and pulled up a recent police report regarding two security guards found dead and tied together, both sustaining permanent skin damage from the acid Catcher uses on her victims. They were lucky. It was only a burn. "Her attacks are completely random. There's no method, no connection," I said angrily. The people she was attacking were just innocent people. An old man, a young woman, two mall cops, and the owner of a pet shop. There was nothing on them. No criminal records, no relevant complaints, nothing.

"You need to get away from the screen, Star," Batman advised.

"Yeah, it's not good for your eyes," Robin chimed in.

"I couldn't care less about my _eyes_ right now," I replied. I have more important things to worry about than my eyesight. My phone started ringing on the edge of the panel under the screen. Robin took it before I could get my hand off the keyboard.

"Hi, this is Dick, Thalia can't come to the phone right now because she's sumed in…" I punched Robin in the gut and grabbed my phone away from him. He mumbled something to Batman that sounded like, "Why does she always hit _me?_"

"This is Thalia," I said professionally into the phone. Sumed isn't even a word…

"Yes, Thalia," Professor X said, "how are you?"

"I'm fine, Professor," I responded. "How are things at the Institute?"

"We're quite alright, thank you," the Professor replied politely. "I'm afraid that this isn't a social call."

I sighed and massaged the bridge of my nose, "Is it the 'angel' sightings from Christmas? Or maybe my mother called and told you about or Christmas mishap."

"Heavy on the mis," Robin agreed.

"Yes, I am calling about the 'angel' sightings," Professor X confirmed, "but…what is this about Christmas?"

"It's nothing," I said quickly. "I expected you to have sent someone to check it out by now, but seeing how there haven't been any recent sightings, I figured that something must have happened. So, was it us, or someone else?" Okay, I've sat behind this stupid computer for hours, and you know what? I've gotten nowhere. I don't have time to be making smalltalk.

The professor sighed heavily, "It appears that Magneto has reappeared. He approached Angel an attempted to recruit him."

"Okay, so what happened?" I asked, holding the phone to my ear while keeping my eyes glued to the screen.

"Angel has decided to remain on his own," Professor Xavier informed me.

"Okay, no offense Professor, but I don't see why you had to contact me about that," I said apologetically. I really, _really_ don't mean to be rude to Professor Xavier, but this whole Catcher case has my stress level at an all time high.

"Yes, well, I would like you to go to Angel and convince him that he is not alone. Even if he doesn't join us, he needs to be absolutely certain that we are his friends," Professor Xavier said patiently.

"Wouldn't Scott have gotten that through to him?" I inquired.

"It wouldn't hurt to ensure that we have his cooperation." I can respect that. It never hurts to make sure, I guess.

"Okay, Professor," I stretched and turned away from the screen, "where can I find this guy?"

"I believe that you're already acquainted with him. Warren Worthington III."

Wow. Warren…good old, never causes trouble Warren…is a Mutant. Who would've thought? I got up from my chair, "Okay, Professor, I'll be there as soon as I can. Should I suit up?"

"Do whatever you feel is necessary," Professor X granted. "Thank you, Thalia. Happy New Year."

"Yeah, Happy New Year, Professor," I said before hanging up.

Batman and Robin looked at me when I crossed the floor to the changing rooms we have in the back of the Cave. I'm glad that I brought my Flashflood uniform with me over the break. I guess it's more of a force of habit now. When I walked back out my mentor and sibling apprentice were back to training. "Where are you going?" Robin asked.

"Professor X wants me to go visit a new Mutant try to show him that we're on his side," I answered and looked at the Starcycle. I can't take that with me to New York. I sighed and decided against it.

"How do you intend to do that?" Batman inquired.

"Well, it's Warren, so it shouldn't be that hard," I said.

Robin laughed, "No way! Warren Worthington? That guy's cleaner than the house after Alfred gets his hands on the vacuum."

"Shut up, Dick," I rolled my eyes. "Bats, can you drop me off at the zeta beam, please?" So I rode shotgun in the Batmobile. I've been trying to get him to make another model of the car with backseats so that we can all fit in one vehicle, but for now, we have a two-door car.

"Warren Worthington?" Batman asked in his low monotone.

"Yeah," I replied, "you remember those angel sightings in New York?"

"Those were him," Bruce completed the thought.

"Who knew he had it in him to be a vigilante?"

"He was reckless," Batman pointed out. Well, I already knew that. Anyone stupid enough to go out in public in broad daylight with a pair of wings flapping all over the place causes a problem. At least when Batman first started out, we only worked at night. Daylight hours just make everything confusing.

The car stopped in front of the alley, and I got out, "Should I let him know you say hi?"

"Just get back before dawn," Batman instructed and drove away. I put my hands into the pockets of my long blue coat and walked into the Zeta-tube. I heard the mechanized voice rattle off my code name and designation number when I reappeared on the bridge in New York. So, now I'm standing on an empty bridge miles away from the high-rise building Warren stays at while he's in the Big Apple without a ride. I guess I can take the subway…so, that's what I did. I, Thalia Wayne, walked to the nearest subway entrance dressed as Flashflood with only a coat keeping my alias safe. I made it to the underground rail system without anyone recognizing me.

I got off and walked back up to the bustling city life of New York, not that the subterranean life isn't quiet in this city…but, anyway, I walked into Worthington Tower, and the doorman tipped his hat to me. I went into the elevator and pressed the button up to the penthouse. I knocked on one of the double doors and called out, "Hey, Warren, it's Thalia Wayne. Open up!"

The door opened slowly, and Warren looked out looking as well-groomed as ever, "Thalia, what are you doing here?"

"I was just in the neighborhood," I lied. "Well, aren't you going to invite me in, or am I going to have to talk to you in the hallway?" He seemed taken aback by my attitude, but opened the door wider and allowed me in. As I walked into the suite, I noticed that Warren was wearing a long trench coat over his clothes.

"Bruce knows you're here, right?" Warren asked suspiciously.

I rolled my eyes and then scanned the room, everything looked in order…and then I noticed it right under one of the chairs in front of the flat screen. "Yeah, of course he knows," I walked closer to the chairs. "Aren't you going to offer to take my coat or something?" I inquired jokingly.

"I'm sorry," Warren said apologetically, "I'm just a bit surprised. You don't usually visit on such short notice."

Quickly, I glanced and saw Warren had his back turned while closing the door, and I took the time he wasn't looking at me to bend down and pick up the delicate white feather off the floor. "Hey, Warren, I think you're molting."

"What?" Warren whipped around and saw me standing with the feather held between my thumb and index finger, "That's just from…"

"Warren," I said gently, "I know." In a split second, multiple expressions crossed his face. Confusion, suspicion, curiosity, and panic.

"How?" his voice took on a stern tone I've never heard Warren use before.

"Well, because I'm a student at the Xavier Institute," I explained.

"I already told them I don't want to…" Warren started to refuse another recruitment.

I shook my head, "I'm not here to ask you to join us at the Institute. I just wanted to check on you. You brought a lot of attention to yourself."

Warren sighed and visibly relaxed, "Yeah, I know. I guess I attracted the wrong kind of attention, too."

I nodded, "Magneto isn't someone you want to get associated with, trust me on that."

"Tell me about it," Warren agreed knowingly. "So, how long have you been…uh…"

I picked up on his hesitancy and smiled a little bit, "A Mutant? It's okay to ask. It's not rude or anything. Well, it's December now…so six months. You?"

"Just two weeks ago," Warren said. Well, for someone with such little experience, he has those wings of his under control.

"You seem to be doing well," I remarked. "I mean, getting control in such a short amount of time."

Warren shook his head, "It was weird. The more I flew, the more natural it felt." I nodded in understanding. Unlike me, Warren's Mutation is purely physical. His entire body must have evolved to accommodate his wings, so it's no surprise that flying came naturally to him. "Do you want some coffee or something?" Warren asked.

I shook my head, "No, thanks. But can I put the coat somewhere? I didn't know if I should suit up for this or not, so..."

"Just put it on the chair or something," Warren answered. I shrugged off the coat and laughed. "What're you laughing at?" he asked confusedly.

"Just this whole conversation," I said amusedly. "It's weird. I never thought that I'd be talking to you of all people about Mutants. No offense."

Warren started laughing, too, "None taken. It is strange. I never would have thought that you'd be a Mutant."

I shrugged, my laughter subsiding, "That's the thing about us Mutants, Warren, we're just people. We feel the same and think the same as humans. The only thing different about us is that we can do things they can't, but there are things they can do that we can't."

Warren looked at me like I sprouted a second head, "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, say a Mutant can do something like communicate with trees." I don't even know if that's a thing, "This Mutant might be able to do that, but he or she can't play hockey to save his or her life. Then, hypothetically, there's a human who doesn't have the innate ability to talk with plant life, but he or she can play hockey like a pro."

Warren laughed, "That doesn't even make sense."

I laughed too, but for a different reason, "Well, maybe to you, but you're still new at this. I've been at this a hell of a lot longer than you have."

"Hey, Bruce knows what you are, right?" he asked me.

I nodded, "So does Dick."

"And they're okay with it?"

Oh, so that's what he's getting at. I know that Warren and his father don't get along all the time, and I'm assuming that his parents don't know about the wings. "Yeah," I admitted, "but you know Gotham. Nothing surprises us much anymore."

"Well, that is true," he agreed.

"Honestly, Warren, people take the news differently. It's a difficult thing to grasp. Most of us living at the Institute are teenagers, so our families know about what we're doing. The families we've encountered are all different from one another." I thought about Tabitha and her father, how Mr. Smith used his own daughter as a means of thievery.

"So, what do you think I should do?" he asked. Wow, that's the first time Warren's ever asked _me_ what he should do. Usually, I'm the one going to him for business advice.

"It's up to you," I told him thoughtfully. "Nobody can know for sure what their reaction will be, but it's certainly a risk you'll have to take eventually." I glanced at my watch and got to my feet, I've only been here for an hour, but I think I've gotten the point across to him. He's not alone in this. "Well, I should get going. If you ever need anything, you know how to contact me. Thanks for your time, Warren," I said with a smile.

He nodded and escorted me to the door, "No, thank you, Thalia. It's been a while since I've spoken with somebody who hasn't expected me to join a side."

"No problem, Happy Holidays," I waved and went into the elevator. I pressed the button for the lobby and waited for the elevator to go down. Then, my phone started to ring, I expected it to be Professor Xavier, but the name on the phone was Bruce's. I picked up, "Thal-."

"Robin's missing," he said before I even finished saying my name. I felt my stomach drop and leaned against the elevator wall for support.

"What do you mean missing?" I demanded, my throat was closing up. Panic was beginning to take over my body.

"His transmission's gone," Batman informed me. "I can't get a signal on him."

"Bruce, what happened?" my voice shook as I asked.

"We were on patrol, and we split up to corner Killer Croc. He never showed up." That's not like Dick. He loves taking down the big guys. He thinks there's nothing more entertaining. The thought that something happened to him…it made me choke. "I'm searching for him now, Lia, but I need you to come back as soon as possible."

The door opened and I bolted, "I'm on my way. I'll meet you at the house." I hung up and put my phone away. I ran to the bay as fast as I could, and I jumped into the ice cold water. I made the water propel me like a torpedo from New York to Gotham at over fifty knots. I didn't care that the water was ice cold. All that I could think about was that Robin was in danger.

**_A/N...I'm sorry Pietro-Lia lovers! Don't hate me! But, Lia just can't seem to catch a break, can she? _**

**_Thanks for reviewing and sharing your thoughts. I really do encourage all of my readers to let me know what you think because I appreciate the feedback. So please review and let me know what you think. Thanks.  
_**

**_Okay, am I the only one who hopes that super moon is going to give us super powers? (fingers crossed)_**


	23. Chapter 23

When I landed at the front door in a water torpedo, Alfred looked at me and asked, "Miss Thalia, are you in need of a towel?" I didn't answer him, instead, I gathered all the excess water from my hair, clothes, and skin and dumped it all in the snow-covered yard. Then I walked into the house and headed straight for the Batcave.

"What the _hell_, Bruce?!" I exploded when I saw him working at the computer, "How did this happen?" I went to the changing room and immediately switched out of my Flashfllood uniform into my Blackstar outfit.

"I don't know," he answered darkly. "There weren't any cameras. It was too clean. No clues, no leads. It's as if he just…disappeared."

"People don't disappear, Bruce!" I said angrily.

"Thalia," Bruce barked, "I know." I breathed deeply. I have to get myself under control. I can't work if I let my emotions get the better of me. I have to focus.

"Okay, okay," I said softly. "Can you trace his batarangs?"

"No. I can't get a lock. It's like there's something blocking him off," Batman informed me. "I need you to check if there have been any recent changes in the radio signals in the city lately, see if you can pinpoint it."

"Got it," I pulled up a chair and brought a holographic keyboard up in front of me, allowing me to utilize half the screen. I went through everything I could think of. Everything from police radio frequencies to satellite radio. Everything in the city, and everything within a twenty-five mile radius of the city. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Batman working furiously in front of his screen. He pulled up a list of any possible suspects ranging from criminals released from prison who might hold a grudge to any common criminal who might have the balls to kidnap the Boy Wonder.

I could see every minute that passed getting to him. Slowly, Batman was getting more and more concerned, and over time, it was starting to show. Unlike me, he wasn't getting angry, he was working faster. His fingers flew across the keyboard, and he brought up every piece of information that could possibly help us find Dick.

We worked well into the morning without moving or sleeping. Somebody out there had a member of our family, and we were intent on finding them. Once I put together a map of every signal out there within twenty-five miles of the city, I saw that there wasn't anything out of the ordinary.

"Any leads?" I asked Batman without turning around. "It's possible whoever has Robin just wants to get to you."

"Well, it's not Joker," Batman said gruffly, "not his style."

"Think we're dealing with a new crazy?" I asked, pulling up the profiles of some lesser criminals who have access to the technology to block out Robin's tracker.

"It's possible," Batman allotted. "Check them all." We worked for hours without speaking to each other. Both of our minds were completely focused on the fact that someone out there had Robin, and we were getting nowhere. I pulled up everything on these guys. Any record that they could possibly have buried. It was enough to get a lot of these guys convicted, but not enough to point to the kidnapper.

Then, I pulled up Catcher. It made enough sense. She hated Robin as much as she hated me. She would want to bait Batman out to save his apprentice. She could have gotten on location and disappeared without leaving a trace, but then again…so could a lot of criminals. I kept a window open for Catcher and pulled up more suspects. I was so engrossed in what I was doing, that I didn't notice that Batman was standing behind me, looking over my shoulder. "Face Catcher?" he questioned.

I nodded, "She has everything. A motive, the means, but this isn't like her. She wouldn't block out his signal. She'd make it so that you could find him as soon as possible."

"Thalia," Bruce said gently, "I think you should go get some sleep."

"What?" I demanded in disbelief, "Bruce, you can't honestly believe that I'd be able to sleep knowing that Dick is out there with God knows what."

"Well, it won't help anyone if you're too tired to function properly," he reasoned.

"I could say the same about you," I insisted.

"Thalia, that's an order," he clarified.

I scoffed, "Fine, but I'm not leaving." I took up a seat and leaned back. Both of us were overworking ourselves to find Robin, and we were both going to run out of steam sooner or later. I closed my eyes, and when I opened them, thirteen hours passed. I looked up, Batman hadn't moved, "Why didn't you wake me up?"

"There wasn't any reason to," Batman replied. I figured that he hadn't gotten any sleep.

"Did you find anything?" I asked.

"I narrowed the list down to Catcher, Riddler, Two-Face, and Ra's al Ghul," he informed me. Four major league villains. I don't know if we could get through all four of them soon enough.

Then, Alfred's voice spoke through the intercom, "Master Bruce, I suggest you turn on the television, sir."

Bruce did as he was told, and then we were seeing footage of Robin bound and gagged with Catcher walking around him, "You know I hate to do this to you, Batman." She almost sounded like a pouting child as she spoke, "But it has to be done. I think that _two_ apprentices is one too many, Batsy. This goes out to you, Star. It's you…or the bird."

"That b****," I ground out. Robin was struggling against his bindings, but it didn't do him any good.

"Your face or his," Catcher laughed excitedly. "I'll be honest, Star, I kinda want yours more. So be here by, say, ten o'clock tonight, or the bird goes. Oh, and come alone." Then the transmission ended. Batman and I were already at work, trying to track the message. Ten o'clock…that gives me two hours. Now, this was more like Catcher. She left a clean trail of breadcrumbs for me to follow.

"They're at the docks," Batman stated.

"Good," I replied.

"What are you thinking?" he inquired.

"What else?' I retorted.

"You're not going alone," Batman informed me.

"A lot of good it'll do if she sees you lurking," I argued. "I'm doing this alone."

"Is that right?" he asked skeptically.

"She wants me to go alone, so I'm going alone. She called me out, Bruce, not you. She wants Blackstar, so I'm going to give her Blackstar."

"Lia," Bruce started to say.

"You can't stop me, Bruce," I told him while hurriedly restocking my belt.

"I wasn't going to," he replied. "Just think about this. There's a high probability that Catcher has an ambush waiting for you."

"They'll have to catch me first," I said and walked to my bike, determined to get from the Batcave to the docks in less than two hours. Batman stood in front of the Starcycle, preventing me from leaving the cave, "I thought you said you weren't going to stop me?"

He sighed, "Just make sure that _both_ of you get back safely, and remember who you are."

I narrowed my eyes, "Yeah." Then he stepped to the side, and I raced out of there the second I could. The Bayside District, where Catcher was holding Robin captive, was a good thirty minutes away from the Batcave. By the time I got there, I still had an hour and a half. The Bayside District is all warehouses, docks, and cranes. Robin could be in any one of these. My best chance is to do a quick recon to find the kid and estimate how many people are in this place.

I did what Batman always instructed us to do. Stay out of sight, be thorough, and always use the right fork…wait, no, wrong lesson. I found Robin in warehouse BR-13, no security on the exterior, and the interior seemed empty save for Catcher and Robin. I saw him tied to a support beam with his mouth gagged, and Catcher weaving in and out of the other support beams. I honestly didn't know what to do after that. If I just broke in through the window, I could get in, free Robin, and get out with a smoke cover. What did she expect me to do? Walk in through the front door?

Well…that's kinda what I did.

Well…..technically I broke down the door.

Well….technically I blew up the door.

What? At least now I have a definite escape route. Catcher froze, holding on to a beam and swinging on it, "Hey! Star, looks like you made it in time!"

"Just let the kid go, Carmen," I said in a low tone.

She yelled at me. No words, just a savage yell of outrage. The kind that rips from a child when they throw a tantrum. Then, she started giggling, like a f****** school girl. "Aw, that's not fair. You know my name, but I don't know yours…or his…Let's find out what it is," she approached Robin with what looked to be a knife. I threw a stariken at her hand, and she dropped the blade with a hiss. Then I was surrounded by a bunch of lumbering strangers all wearing the faces of the people Catcher victimized. I estimate around twenty of them, all under one roof. "Okay, Star, we'll do this your way," she took another damn knife out of a pocket or something and approached Robin. I _twitched_, and two of her goons were immediately on me, holding my hands behind my back. I guess I'd just have to watch whatever the hell it was this psycho was planning. "I'm sure you know that it's going to be you or Robin over here," she went on, "and since you showed up…you want it to be you. But…in the short time I've had with Robin, I've changed my mind."

_She what_? I thought frustrated. The she-devil changed her mind? About what?

"I'm going to take you both down today," she announced, "the only question is…who's going first?" She replaced the knife with a f****** gun. Then she trained it at me, and then at Robin. "You, or him? You? Or _him_? Three's one bat too many, Star." She finally pointed the weapon at Robin, "Just what are you willing to risk to save this bird?" The hands restraining me let go. How the hell had I gotten into this situation? "You know, Star," she said thoughtfully, "I guess I can settle for peeling the mask off his dead body…"

That's it.

I snapped.

F*** control.

Everyone around me collapsed, and Catcher's body froze in place. I could feel the anger and hatred practically bubbling up under my skin. I let her have her fun. I played the game the way it should be played. I played it like a human. I played it human, and this is what I get in return. Well, screw that. Screw reigning in my feelings. Screw keeping our powers a secret. Screw waiting. Screw it all. This person, this maniac, had a member of _my_ family. This person was playing with his life, and I'm sorry, but I'm not going to let that off so easily. She was baiting me, hell, I knew it the moment she broadcast that message, but I _didn't care_. She _took_ a member of my family.

"You wanted to play it my way, Catcher," I said with dead seriousness, "so let's play. Let me get this _straight_. You kidnapped my brother, and you thought that was you trump card?" I advanced towards her, keeping my eyes trained on her green one. I could _feel_ the blood within my own veins, I was that empowered by my rage. Every drop of H2O, I could feel. The entire bay was churning under the influence of my powers. "You _never_ mess with my family, Carmen," I said in a low voice. Unwillingly, she dropped the gun, and walked towards Robin. She unbound him, and he took off the gag.

"Star," Robin started to say, looking at the people on their hands and knees.

"Go," I said abruptly. He looked at me to Catcher, and then he ran. It wouldn't take him long to find my bike, hotwire it, and get back to the Batcave. Once all of her lackeys were unconscious, I released their blood flow, allowing their brains to get oxygen once again.

"What...are…you?" Catcher gasped while I kept complete control over her body.

"Pissed," I ground out. She made some kind of gurgling choke in the back of her throat, and I would have killed her right there and then. I had the means to do it. I sure as hell could have done it. I would have done it, but I'm not a killer. I let her breathe again, and she took a deep inhalation of oxygen. I kept her frozen to the spot, and looked her in her eye, "I'm untouchable, Carmen. No matter how hard you try, you can't get rid of me. You can't get rid of Robin either, and you can just forget about Batman. You see, I really f****** hate when people think they can mess with me, and you just f****** messed with me. I want you to disappear Catcher. Do you hear me? It's up to you if you really want to listen to me, but remember…one day, you won't be able to escape. Do I make myself clear?" Her eye was wide with fear as I left the warehouse.

When I got back to the manor, I changed out of my suit into sweats and a hoodie, and walked up to Dick's room without speaking a word to Bruce. I know what he was thinking. I must've been crazy to blow my temper like that, but it was worth it. He knew it. I knew it. The door was open a crack, and Dick sat in his bed wearing pajamas and reading a book.

"Knock, knock," I made my presence known. "Can I come in?"

Dick looked up from his book, "If you can feel misery, why doesn't anyone just feel ery?"

I rolled my eyes, he seemed to be doing fine, "Glad you can still make nonsense up."

Dick laughed, "You know me. I bounce back fast." Then he looked down and asked, "So…what did you do?" Well, he wouldn't outright say it, but I know that he meant 'did you kill her?'.

"I notified the police," I replied with a shrug and sat on the edge of his bed.

His eyes widened, and I could see the relief in his expression, "So you didn't…"

I shook my head, "No. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. I've been through worse, but Bruce and Alfred are keeping me confined just in case," he said so nonchalantly, but then he turned the conversation back around to me. "Did you want to?"

Ugh. How do I tell this boy that I wanted nothing more than to extract every drop of water from Carmen Cress' body and watch her die? Simple, I really can't…but…then again, this is Robin. I sighed and spoke quietly, because, well, the truth embarrassed me, "Yeah. I wanted to."

"But you didn't," Dick reminded me.

I sighed and pushed some of his hair out of his face, "I know, but I still thought it. All I could think about was that somebody had my baby brother, and I had to do something." I'll be honest here. The fact that I actually desired to kill a person scared the s*** out of me. Knowing that I have the means to do it, and in those moments when I had the will to do it…I scared myself. I don't know how Dick could be okay with me talking to him after that.

"Don't worry about it," he said lightly. "We all have our limits."

"How can you be so calm about it?"

Dick laughed that boyish way he did when something was so painstakingly obvious, yet he was the first to notice it, "Well, I don't really know." Well, that's a surprise. I'm used to him being able to figure something out. "I'm just not concerned," he shrugged.

"You probably should be," I stated. The painful truth of it is that I am fully capable of killing just by thinking of what I want done. I'm just as dangerous as Jean.

He laughed harder, "Lia, you wouldn't _actually_ do it. You're just not that kind of person." He sobered almost instantly, "I'm sure you would want to do it, but I'm sure that you could never bring yourself to do it."

"I hope to God you're right," I muttered.

**_A/N...Who thinks that Thalia could be capable of murder? Is it really that unbelievable, or maybe it isn't? Let me know what you think! Review please. _**

**_Kashagal and Natures Ruler...well, I didn't get superpowers...how about you?  
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**_Thank you to all of my other reviewers and readers. I hope you can bear with me until the very end!_**


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